Black Dawn
by ForeverDreamer12
Summary: Things seemed normal enough for the Twin Dragons, until one night they discover things about each other that they never knew, changing a once steadfast variable between them. Not able to think of much but each other, the duo walks straight into a trap set by a Dark Guild who has their sights set on something very important to the both of them... (Sting x Rogue. No flames please).
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone!**

 **Finally I've made the stupid decision of starting a new fanfic. Thankfully I have many of the chapters pre-written and they only need a bit of editing, so it won't take up too much time.**

 **This is my first Sting x Rogue fanfic, so any tips on characterization would be really wonderful. :)**

 **All flames go to Natsu. Enjoy :)**

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 **~Black Dawn~**

 **-Chapter 1-**

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It had been an exhausting day for Sabertooth's Guild Master. Despite what everyone thought, Sabertooth destroyed things almost half as much as Fairy Tail. This results in enormous stacks of paper that only pile higher and higher on Sting Eucliffe's desk. He had spent the entire day sorting out where money needed to be sent, filling out various paperwork, and ordering his guild members to fill out apology letters. If there was one thing Sting loathed more than paperwork, it was having to boss his friends around. As much as he enjoyed being Guild Master, he prefers to act equal to his peers rather than higher than them.

He makes his way through the town just as the sun sets, accompanied by Lector, Rogue, and Frosch. Sting much desires a quiet walk home with his partner and their Exceeds, but as Saber's Master, he had no such luck. People swarm him with questions left and right, to which he had to answer.

Absolutely exhausted, he turns down a side street that will lead him to the outskirts of his town. To his displeasure, a large group of girls block his path. "Look!" one of the girls exclaims. "There they are! The Twin Dragons!" Instantly the two young men are swarmed by the giggling fangirls.

"You're so hot," breathes a curvy blonde by Sting's elbow. Most men would find her extremely attractive, but Sting simply brushes her off and tries to push through.

A short brunette says to Rogue, "You're my idol, you're just so perfect!"

Rogue, unsure how to react, replies hesitantly, "Thanks?" He shoots a desperate look at Sting, who was much better at dealing with these kinds of situations.

"Look, as much as I appreciate the compliments, we're trying to get home," Sting sighs. "Can you please let us through?"

"Are you both single?" blurts a green-haired girl in a black dress. A chorus of giggles follows her question.

"Not interested," Rogue says flatly before Sting can say anything. Despite his cold attitude, the girls persist on, yelling all sorts of praise and questions. One of the girls even tries to pull off Sting's jacket.

At that, Sting snaps. "Go away!" he shouts, feeling slightly violated. He pulls his jacket out of her grasp, grabs Lector with one arm and Rogue's wrist with the other, then proceeds to make his way through the mob of fangirls. Rogue barely even has time to pick up Frosch before Sting bursts through the crowd. The White Dragon doesn't let go of them until they reach the safety of their shared house.

Finally home, Sting relaxes. "Jeez, I'm so tired..." He yawns, heading for the bathroom. "I'm calling first shower." After an incredibly long, hot shower, Sting goes to find Rogue. "Hey," he says, sticking his head into their shared bedroom. Rogue, who was seated on his bed, looks up from his book, his vibrant scarlet eyes eyeing Sting's still damp hair. "Your turn."

Rogue closes the book softly, setting it down on his bedside table. "Okay," he says softly. "Thanks." He stands up and makes his way to the bathroom. Sting frowns, able to tell that there's something off about his partner. Just as Rogue's about to enter the bathroom, Sting grabs his arm just below the elbow. Rogue freezes, turning his head to face Sting.

"Are you okay?"

The simple question catches Rogue off guard. He averts his gaze, not wanting to meet Sting's eye. "I'm fine."

Sting tightens his grip. "I know you're lying," he whispers. "Look me in the eye, Rogue." The dark-haired wizard slowly moves his eyes back towards Sting. Something unreadable sits in his red orbs, only causing Sting's worry to increase. "What's wrong?" Rogue remains silent, but doesn't break eye contact. The silence is heavy with emotions that Sting can't name, weighing both of them down. Sting sighs, giving up. "If you don't want to talk, that's fine, I guess."

"It's not your fault," Rogue suddenly says, pulling his arm out of Sting's grasp. He then promptly shuts the bathroom door in Sting's face. Sting remains in front of the door, shocked into silence. After what seemed like forever, he heads to the kitchen. The two Exceeds are sitting on the table, playing some sort of game with marbles. Sting forces a smile onto his his face. "Hey, Lector, Frosch, want some dessert?"

Meanwhile, in the shower, Rogue presses his forehead up against one of the cold porcelain walls. He takes a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. He hadn't meant to snap at Sting the way he did, he had simply been on edge. Once again, he had been hearing the voice of his shadow, whispering awful things in his ear. The shadow told him of a possible future, a fate that Rogue considered almost worse than death. "You will fall to darkness...Frosch will die...and you will kill Sting..."

Sting's voice echoes from the kitchen, and Rogue's Dragon Slayer hearing picks it up easily. "How 'bout ice cream on cookies?"

"Aw, yeah!" Lector cheers loudly. "That sounds awesome, Sting-kun!" A few banging sounds follow Lector's excited shout, but soon die down. After a long moment of silence, Lector suddenly says, "Sting-kun? Is Rogue-kun okay?"

"Fro wants to know too, sama," Frosch adds.

Rogue only catches half of Sting's sentence, "-not going to tell me." Rogue strains to hear more, wondering what else his partner was going to say about it. Did Sting know that it was the shadow again? "I have an idea about it... I'm a little worried, to tell the truth. But he'll be alright, as long as we stick with him, eh?" The two Exceeds both agree enthusiastically, but Sting wasn't finished. "Yet...still...there's a part of me that's worried sick... I'm scared," Sting's voice cracks slightly with emotion, sending a shiver down Rogue's spine. He really wasn't used to hearing Sting upset like this.

"I'm scared of that shadow...whatever it is," Sting continues with heavy sadness in his voice. "It's just...when Natsu-san told me about Rogue's future counterpart from Eclipse...I laughed it off. I was so frightened by what Rogue could become that I pretended it was nothing. Cuz that's what I always do...I don't really break down about that stuff, you know? Especially now that I'm Guild Master...I've got an even bigger reputation to uphold."

During a long break of silence, Rogue tries to comprehend what he just heard. Sting was scared too? What did Sting have to be afraid of?

A long, breathy gasp reaches Rogue's ears, barely audible over the shower. When Sting speaks again, Rogue can hear in the blonde's voice that he's crying. "I just...I don't want anything to happen to him... He's a part of me, you know? Friend can't even describe it...I can't use anything other than partner when it comes to him... I care about him so, so much... If something happened to him, it would destroy me too."

Rogue finally lets the tears fall that he'd been holding back for the last week or so. They slide down his cheeks in hot and salty streaks, blending with the shower water. His heart had never felt so conflicted. Half of him cried out of fear for the uncertain future, while the other half cried tears of joy knowing that Sting cared as much as he did. Rogue has lived his entire life feeling isolated and alone, never knowing exactly how to properly open up to people. Hearing that someone felt so strongly about him, and saw him as an equal...it moved him beyond belief. Rogue tuned out the rest of their conversation, and instead melts into his own tears.

Back on the kitchen floor, Sting wipes tears from his cheeks. "Sorry," he croaks. "I don't know what came over me..."

Lector, who was a little bit scared and worried, simply replies with, "I-It's okay, Sting-kun." Deciding to make light of the situation, he says in a teasing tone, "Although I didn't know you were so crazy for Rogue-kun."

Lector's words make Sting's stomach churn in an odd sort of way. The impact they had on him was different than almost anything he'd ever experienced. His cheeks hot, he tries to come off nonchalant as possible, "Pssh, I have no idea what you're talking about. It's just Rogue."

"I don't think so," smirks Lector as Sting prepares to rise from his knees. The White Dragon freezes in place, his face an interesting shade of pink.

"Fro thinks so too, sama!" Frosch agrees, raising a paw.

Sting groans, "Oi, stop ganging up on me here. Do you want ice cream or not?" As he serves the Exceeds ice cream and cookies, Sting's mind was a whirlpool of thoughts. He'd always seen Rogue in a slightly different way than the way he saw the rest of his guildmates. He'd always been...special, for the lack of a better word. He was that mysterious boy in the shadows, seemingly emotionless, but truly a complete softie. Sting had never really known what to call the way he felt...he had tried curiosity, jealousy, and even admiration, but none of those fit. As he pulls the chocolate ice cream out of the fridge to make dessert for Rogue, he comes to the realization that he'd been oblivious to for the longest time: there was no way these feelings were just platonic.

The sound of soft footsteps echoes in Sting's ears as Rogue enters the dining room. He comments on the Exceed's ice cream cookie sundaes with no emotion in his voice as Sting makes his way to the other room. "Yo," Sting grins at the Shadow Dragon, "I got you some too, don't worry."

Rogue's serious features soften, a rare smile gracing his lips. "Thank you." He gratefully accepts the bowl and spoon, then sits in his seat at the table.

They eat in silence for the longest time, not making eye contact. Sting's attention drifts away from his dessert and instead fixes on Rogue. His crimson eyes are swirling with emotion, betraying the emotionless expression on his face. Knowing that he's going to get nothing out of his partner, Sting stands up and stretches his arms up towards the ceiling.

"G'night, everyone. Seeya tomorrow." On his way out, he gently touches Rogue's shoulder in a comforting manner, hoping to relay the fact that he is still worried. Rogue glances up for the first time since he sat down, his red eyes wide with surprise. He watches his partner's retreating back with a heavy heart, desperately wanting to tell him to stay. But his head disobeys his heart, and instead he rises to clean Sting's abandoned dishes from the table in silence.

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 **Thanks for reading :) Please leave a review with your thoughts, it'd really make my day!**

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 **~ForeverDreamer12, signing out!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Realized after I wrote this chapter that I forgot about Lector and Frosch... Oh well, let's just say they're staying with Yukino or something...**

 **I honestly have no idea where half this chapter came from. There's an entire scene I didn't even plan originally...it just kind of happened. I blame these two fluffy dorks for being so damn cute.**

 **Enjoy the second chapter! Next chapter will truly kickstart the plot as well pile on more fluff, so be prepared!**

* * *

 **~Black Dawn~**

 **-Chapter 2-**

* * *

"Morning, Sting-sama, Rogue-sama," smiles Yukino as the Twin Dragons enter the Sabertooth Guild Hall that morning.

"Morning," they reply as they make their way into the already packed guild. To no one's surprise, it was already 10:34 and the Dragon Slayer duo had just arrived. Because Sting tended to be a huge sleepyhead, they had a copy of the guild key made for Rufus, the earliest riser of the guild, so he could he open it for the rest.

Sting surveys the building, making sure nothing was out of place, especially since some of their newest members enjoyed playing pranks. He greets Rufus with a smile, fist-bumps Ogra, salutes Minerva, and says a quick hello to Dobengal. Beside him, Rogue remains silent, simply nodding the general direction of anyone who greets him. Sting heads towards his office with the intention of starting some paperwork when Rogue stops him.

"Wait, Sting. We need to take a job today. Rent's due soon, remember?"

Sting whirls around in a flash. "Right!" he says with a smile, rushing towards the request board. His dark blue eyes scan each job quickly yet carefully, trying to find the perfect one for him and his dark haired partner. "No jobs for two?" he groans. "Man, we need some S-Class jobs. There's only one up there and they're requesting a single female wizard. Why they couldn't have just said Minerva I have no damn clue, but it sure as hell doesn't help us."

"Just because you are able to take S-Class requests, Sting, it doesn't mean you have to," Rogue comments drily. Being an A-Class wizard, Rogue technically wasn't supposed to even go on S-Class jobs, but ever since Sting became Master the rule about that practically vanished. "Have you even checked to see if they sent in any new requests?"

Sting rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well, no..." Rogue sweatdrops as Sting heads into his office. The Guild Master emerges after a moment of rummaging, carrying a very small stack of papers. "Aha! There's a perfect one for us right here, Rogue!" A huge grin lights up Sting's face as he reads, "Pair of strong wizards needed! I need some help dealing with some thieves that have been stealing from my church. Please help, I will provide plenty of food and board. Reward is 40,000 Jewel!"

"40,000 for a simple thief job?" Rogue asks, feeling a smile creep on his lips. It's as if Sting's smiles were contagious. "That's fairly high. This should be a pretty laid back job."

"And there's free food!" Sting cheers, fist-pumping. He grabs Rogue by the wrist, laughing as he pulls him out of the guild. "C'mon, let's go let's go let's go!"

"H-Hold on," Rogue stammers, feeling slightly embarrassed. He knew that the whole guild was watching the pair of them, and that made him a bit nervous. "We need to get some things for the road-"

Sting ignores him, simply picking up the pace as he shoves the guild hall doors open. Rogue sighs, giving up the protesting, and instead just allows himself to be dragged through town. Many people greet them as they pass, to which Sting grins and says hello in return. It's a sunny day, with almost perfect blue sky and a slight breeze keeping things at a comfortable temperature. Once they're out of town, Sting slows to a walk, slightly out of breath.

"Whew," he turns to look at Rogue, his smile still glued to his face. "That was fun."

Rogue smiles back, "Yes, it was..." He takes a slow, deep breath to give his lungs more oxygen, enjoying the rush of fresh air. Today was simply so peaceful and tranquil. It was these kinds of days that were Rogue's favorite. These days were the days where Rogue was glad to be alive, happy, and have someone as wonderful as Sting by his side. Snapping out of his thoughts, he turns to his partner with a quizzical look on his face. "So, where's the job located?"

"Ehh, pretty far from here," Sting shrugs nonchalantly. "Not really a hundred percent sure where to be honest."

"What?!" Rogue cries. "You took a job that you didn't know where it was?!" He takes a step closer to Sting, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Why didn't you look at a map before we left?!"

Sting takes a step closer as well, close enough so that their foreheads are touching. "I didn't think about it, okay?! Everyone makes mistakes, even Guild Masters!"

"Be more perceptive next time!" Rogue shouts.

"You could've said something!" Sting retorts.

"I tried, but you pulled me away before I could do anything!" Rogue's own voice rings in his ears, his heart pounding furiously in his chest. They stand like that, both breathing heavily as they stare into each other's eyes. Rogue felt his cheeks heat up, realizing that they were standing extremely close together... Quickly he jerks his head to the side, trying to hide his flaming red cheeks behind his dark bangs. "Let's get going. We can ask someone for directions."

Confused by his partner's sudden mood swing, Sting simply shrugs. "Okay." He starts walking on the dirt path that led to the nearest town, turning his back to Rogue. The Shadow Dragon Slayer hurries to catch up, then matches Sting's even stride.

They arrive in town where their client lives after five hours of walking, as neither of them felt like taking the train and dealing with motion sickness. The walk went by surprisingly fast. They arrived in town around 3 in the afternoon, the sun high overhead.

"Man, I'm starving," Sting whines. "We never got lunch."

"Can you wait until we get to the church?" Rogue asks his partner as the two of them step onto on of the main streets in town. "I don't have much money on me." Sting, being the childish dork that he was, rushes towards a caramel apple stand, grabbing Rogue's wrist and dragging him towards it. Sting looks up at Rogue with wide blue eyes, a hopeful expression on his face. Rogue sighs, realizing that Sting wasn't going to take no as an answer. "Alright," he groans, pulling his wallet out of his pocket. He turns to the vendor. "We'll take one."

The man nods, reaching for one and passing it to Sting. "Thank you," Sting grins, biting into it. He closes his eyes as he chews, obviously pleased. A smile makes it's way onto Rogue's lips, his fondness for his partner overwhelming his usually stoic face. They walk together in silence, Sting enjoying his treat as the two of them admire the sights. "Want a bite?" Sting suddenly asks, extending the apple towards Rogue's face.

Rogue feels his cheeks heat up, unsure of why this is making him so embarrassed. "Ah, it's alright. I'll pass."

Sting raises an eyebrow. "You sure?" He moves the apple a little bit closer, as if trying to get Rogue to smell it.

"I said _no._ " The sentence comes out a little harsher than Rogue intended, and Sting's cheerful face falls.

"Okay." He looks away from Rogue, his shoulders slumping. It was as if Rogue had slowly yet the air out of Sting's happiness, like a balloon. Inside, Rogue mentally curses himself for being insensitive...again. For the most part he was supportive of his friends and partner, but every now and then he slips back into his old personality: the one he had during Jiemma's reign over Sabertooth.

Back then he cared about nothing but staying in the guild, becoming stronger, and beating Gajeel. To him, Sting had been...necessary. He'd been closer to him than anyone else, but there hadn't really been much communication about anything personal. They had a mutual understanding, but it had been simply for fighting.

They had some sort of connection, but never acknowledged it. When Sting became Guild Master, one of the first things he did was tell everyone in the guild to work with who they enjoy working with, and not stick around with someone just because their magic was compatible. At first, Rogue thought Sting was telling him that their partnership was over. However, Sting eventually admitted that he was actually worried that Rogue didn't want to work with him anymore, but felt obliged too because of their compatible magic. They'd shared their first real hug that day, with Sting smiling into Rogue's shoulder, glad that they were still a team.

Finally, Rogue snaps out of his thoughts, realizing that they'd walked quite a ways through town. Sting's apple was half-way eaten, although the White Dragon seemed to have lost his appetite. Rogue's heart sinks. "I'm sorry," he blurts. "I didn't mean to be rude. I-I just thought it was awkward."

A small smile creeps onto Sting's face. "Apology accepted." He looks Rogue in the eye. "And what exactly is awkward about sharing food?"

"No idea," Rogue mumbles, looking away. For some reason he felt extra jumpy today, especially when it came to Sting. Wondering if it was because of what he overheard last night, Rogue turns the street corner, heading to the church.

"Wow," Sting breathes as the church comes into view. "It's huge..." The church was tall with many stained glass windows. Each and every detail on the entrance's surface was intricately carved with extreme accuracy. Sting finds himself wishing he had fifty more eyes as he enters the building with Rogue. The Dragon Slayer duo makes their way towards the pulpit where the preacher normally stands.

"Hello?" Sting calls out. "We got your job request. We're from the Sabertooth Guild."

"Ah, hello!" another voice replies. A middle-aged man in a pastor's outfit comes forward from the back rooms, a wide, welcoming smile on his face. "I am Pastor Alden, and I preach here at Azmarin Church." He pauses for a moment, studying the pair's faces. "You both seem very familiar... I apologize for not remembering your names..."

"I'm Sting Eucliffe," grins Sting, extending a hand. "I'm the Guild Master of Sabertooth."

"And I'm his partner, Rogue Cheney," Rogue adds.

Alden shakes Sting's hand, smiling wildly. "Of course! You two are the Twin Dragons, correct? I've seen you in the Grand Magic Games before."

"Yep!" Sting's chipper attitude is back in full stride. "So, what exactly do we need to do?"

Alden's smile fades, but only slightly. "A small band of thieves have been robbing from small businesses, orphanages and shelters, and my church. I caught sight of them about a week ago. I'm not sure how many there actually are, but I saw four at the time. I don't think they use any magic, but I'd be careful just in case."

"Sounds fairly simple." Hearing details of their mission helps Rogue feel more at ease, preparing him for what was to come. "Around what time do they normally appear?"

"I'd say around 11 o'clock at night," Alden replies. "I know it's a long time from now...if you need something to do, I could give you a tour of Azmarin."

Sting opens his mouth to say something when Rogue cuts in, "As much as we'd appreciate that, I'm afraid Sting and I should probably do some planning. Maybe later this evening?"

"Oh, c'mon Rogue, lighten up," Sting nudges the Shadow Dragon Slayer in the shoulder. "I've been working my ass off lately with all the damn paperwork that's been coming in... It'd be nice to have some time to just relax." Sting looks Rogue straight in the eyes, silently begging him to say yes. He was hoping that they'd tour with Alden for a while, then break off and have some time alone. Sting was determined that sometime in the next few days, he was going to come to a conclusion about how he felt about Rogue. And if that was going to be the case, they'd need some time just the two of them to just talk.

Rogue's shoulders slump in defeat. "Fine," he sighs, a smile sliding onto his face. "I guess that'd be okay."

Alden's friendly smile returns. "Wonderful! Shall we get going then?"

* * *

After many hours of wandering the town of Azmarin, Alden left the duo alone, telling them that he had some things at the church to attend to. To Sting's surprise, he looked directly at Sting as he spoke, as if somehow he knew that they needed that time. The sun was already setting, bathing the streets in beautiful pink, gold, and red light. The few clouds that had formed earlier in the day were now streaked pink in the painted sky. The view was absolutely breathtaking.

And yet, Sting could look at nothing but Rogue. His blue eyes focused on the way the golden light touched his partner's soft features as he gazed at the sky above them, a genuine smile on his face. "Look, Sting," he says softly. "There's a bird up there."

Sting squints, trying to spot the small animal. "Where?"

To his shock, Rogue grabs onto Sting's arm, guiding it upwards towards the sky. "There," he says softly. "Right where your hand is."

Sting hoped that Rogue didn't notice his flaming cheeks as he replies, "Oh yeah, right there." The bird was white, but the fading sunlight cast a beautiful pink glow on the bird's wings. "It looks so free," Sting adds quietly, slowly removing his arm from Rogue's grip. Slowly he sits down on the curb, Rogue following suit. "Sometimes I wish I had wings so I could just fly away..."

"We have Lector and Frosch," Rogue points out, turning to look at Sting.

"Yeah..." Sting gazes upwards at the expanse of sky above them. "But it's not the same, you know? There's not as much freedom."

"I know what you mean," Rogue replies gently, turning his head towards the sky as well. "Maybe some day, however, we should fly with them during a sunset... Really, really high up...like we could touch the colors..."

Sting smiles, looking back towards Rogue. This moment reminded him of a moment they shared about a week before joining Sabertooth. The two of them had been sitting out on the curb, gazing at the stars above them. They'd both gotten pretty emotional that evening, talking about things they'd never mentioned before. Neither one of them had ever brought up that talk again, as once they'd joined Sabertooth, those kinds of things were discouraged.

Thinking back on it now, Sting realized that evening had been necessary. If it weren't for that talk, Sting doubted the two of them would've ever gotten this close. For some reason, courage builds up inside of the White Dragon's chest. This whole moment...was perfect. There was a sunset, they were alone, and the scenery was beautiful.

A small cry of alarm escapes Rogue's lips as Sting suddenly places both hands on Rogue's shoulders. His blue eyes were wide with determination, staring straight at Rogue with an unreadable expression on his face. Speaking slightly loudly, Sting blurts, "Look, Rogue, I just wanted to say that I l-"

"Well, wouldya look at that, we found them already." The Twin Dragons freeze, turning to look up at the newcomer. A group of eight men stand before them, all wearing clothes fit for thieves. One of them stood in front of the others, a twisted smirk on his face. "I knew the old man was gonna send someone, but I didn't expect _two_ wizards. There's no damn way you can beat us by yourselves."

Sting's eyebrow twitches. Rogue recognizes the look as his _'you just fucked with the wrong person'_ face.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the man's smirk only widens, "did we interrupt some important romantic moment or something?"

Sting snaps. Instantly he was leaping forward, hissing, "White Drive," under his breath as he slams his fist into the man's face. His Dragon Force activates right then, an explosion of white light crashing into the thief. The man coughs up blood as he falls backwards to the ground, the cobblestone beneath him cracking from the impact. Rogue's red eyes widen, wondering what exactly they said to piss Sting off this badly.

"Ahhh!" one of the men shrieks. "Who the hell is he? He's so strong!"

The dust clears, revealing Sting's white Sabertooth guildmark to the thieves. One of them screams, his eyes widening. "Oh shit! It's Sabertooth's Guild Master! White Dragon Sting!"

"We're so dead!"

"Boss, we need to retreat!"

An low growl escapes Sting's throat as he takes a step closer to the gang of thieves. His magic radiates off of him, creating a white aura around his entire body. "You're not going _anywhere_."

Rogue takes a step forward towards the group, preparing to fight. To his surprise, Sting sticks out an arm in front of Rogue, holding him back. "No." Sting's voice is dangerously soft. "I've got this." Rogue hesitantly nods in reply, stepping backwards towards the curb once more.

"It's not just him!" cries another man. "It's the b-both of them!"

"The Twin Dragons, huh?" coughs the leader from the ground. Slowly he makes his way to his feet, wiping blood off his chin. "Interesting. I've heard many stories about you... How wonderful that I get to see you in action."

"You won't be seeing anything but black once I'm done with you," Sting snarls, charging towards the leader again with his fist held high. To his surprise, the man holds up an arm in an attempt to block the attack. Sting plows through, putting all his weight into his punch as he knocks right into the leader. The leader cries out in pain, his blocking attempt failing to prevent much damage. He looks up at Sting, who's absolutely seething.

"What's wrong?" The leader spits a bit of blood out of his mouth, trying to force a smirk back on his face. "Too scared that something's gonna happen to your precious partner to let him get involved?"

"Shut the fuck up," Sting hisses. "Say whatever you want about me, but if you insult Rogue, I'll tear your stupid smirk right off your goddamn face."

Rogue takes another step back. He's seen Sting get worked up about these kinds of things before, it was just in his nature to get pissed off when people insult those he cares about, but this was a whole another level. _'Maybe it has to do with whatever he was going to tell me earlier,'_ Rogue thinks. _'It must be important, otherwise he wouldn't be_ _this upset about it...'_ He watches as Sting slams a foot into the leader's stomach, who topples back onto the shattered cobblestone. _'But what could it possibly be?'_ Rogue's eyes widen, his mind conjuring up a possibility. _'No. Don't be stupid. It can't possibly be that...' _He shakes his head, trying to clear his mind of his nearly impossible daydreams.

"What's going on here?" a very stern voice shouts. Rogue whirls to his right to face an officer holding his badge in his hand. He flashes the badge in front of Rogue's face, then continues. "Is that man your accomplice?" He points to Sting, who's used his claw attack to place a paralyzing stigma on the gang leader and is beating him into the ground.

"Yes, officer," Rogue sighs. "I apologize for his actions, I'm not sure what got over him."

"He's beating civilians up in the middle of the street and you don't know what happened?" the officer says angrily.

"No," Rogue shakes his head, "that's not a civilian. Sorry, I should probably introduce myself. I'm Rogue Cheney, Sabertooth's Shadow Dragon Slayer. Sting and I are actually on a job right now. Those men are the band of thieves that have been robbing the nearby church."

The officer relaxes. "Oh, my bad. I'll arrest those men immediately. Apologies, Shadow Dragon." He bows slightly (which makes Rogue feel slightly uncomfortable) and then walks over to the gang men already on the ground. Rogue follows the officer, readying a shadow in his hand in anticipation that they may try to fight back. The men are quickly restrained, leaving just Sting and the leader.

"Do you want me to calm him down?" Rogue says slightly nervously, not liking the brutal way Sting is screaming at the gang leader.

The officer looks just as nervous as Rogue feels. "That would be great."

Slowly Rogue approaches his partner, being cautious as to not alarm him. He places a gentle hand on Sting's shoulder, and simply takes a step back when Sting whirls around to face his sudden 'attacker'. "Sting," he says softly. "Please calm down. I've got the authorities here, and they're going to arrest him. We've done our job, okay?"

Sting looks Rogue straight in the eyes, his expression deathly serious. "But he said-"

"I heard what he said." Rogue keeps his voice even and calm, hoping that it works in soothing his partner. "I don't care what he thinks of me, Sting. He's going to hate me simply for existing, all because I'm part of a legal guild and I'm trying to stop him. It's not an insult to me personally, but simply that he doesn't want to be caught."

"I'm in a legal guild!" the gang leader spits.

"Liar!" Sting snarls. Rogue grabs onto Sting's arm, holding him back from attacking him again. Sting blinks, turning to look at Rogue in surprise. Rogue simply looks back at him, a calm, controlled look on his face. Sting's tense muscles relax ever-so-slightly.

"I'm not a liar, I'm part of a treasure hunter guild," the leader says, interrupting the Twin Dragons' silent conversation.

"Then why the hell are you breaking the law?" Sting asks angrily.

"I may be part of a legal guild, but that doesn't mean I can't have relations with dark guilds," the man replies. "I work under a guild that constantly wants new treasure."

"Why listen?" Rogue asks softly. "Can't you just tell them you can only get treasure legally?"

"Hell no," the man snorts. "They'd kill me."

"What guild are you from?" Rogue questions, persisting on before Sting has a chance to say anything more.

The leader opens his mouth to speak when the officer marches right up to the three young men and takes the leader in handcuffs. "C'mon, you. Time to bring you to where you belong."

As the officer drags him away, the man smirks at the Twin Dragons. "I know your secret," he says loudly. "I swear, Sting Eucliffe, you better watch your back! My bosses are gonna be _real_ pissed off at you!"

Sting's eyes widen, then narrow. "Hmph." He folds his arms across his chest, suddenly relaxed. Raising his voice, he calls out to the leader, "What secret?" The leader ignores the question and simply lets himself be dragged away to prison, leaving Sting with an uncomfortable feeling in his chest. He turns to Rogue, unfolding his arms and shrugging slightly. "I don't know what he could possibly know that'll be of any use to him. Besides, I doubt the guild he works under will care that I beat his ass."

"We can only hope that's the case," Rogue sighs. Gazing upwards towards the almost-dark sky, he grabs Sting's arm once more. "C'mon, it's getting dark. Let's head back to the church and get some rest for the journey home tomorrow."

"Right," Sting replies, following Rogue down the cobbled streets towards the church. Even though he was exhausted, the White Dragon doubted he was going to get much sleep that night. He had so much on his mind that he was certain that it wasn't going to clear up anytime soon.

Little did he know that the leader of the treasure hunter guild had a trick up his sleeve, and his bosses already knew exactly what Sting's weakpoint was, and exactly how to exploit it...

* * *

 **Well dang this was a long chapter...over 4,000 words O-o I actually had to move a scene to next chapter even though I really didn't want to...**

 **That aside, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Stay tuned for more very soon!**

* * *

 **~ForeverDreamer12, signing out!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Welcome back!**

 **Finally finished this chapter~ The first scene was so hard to write, I wanted it to be just perfect augh... I hope it came out okay XD**

 **Thanks so much for your feedback everyone~ I really appreciate all of the kind words, as well as the favorites/follows.**

 **Enjoy~**

* * *

 **~Black Dawn~**

 **-Chapter 3-**

* * *

Rogue pushes open the door to the church with a sigh. Pastor Alden was dusting one of the pews, his head down, humming as he works. He lifts his head up at the sound of the Twin Dragons' footsteps, a smile working it's way onto his face. "Ah, welcome back, you two. Did you have a nice evening?"

"It was nice...until the thieves showed up," Sting replies, sounding slightly upset.

"Already?!" Alden exclaims. "Goodness, normally they only show up at night! Did you deal with them?"

"Yes, we had them arrested," Rogue folds his arms across his chest. "It seems they were actually looking for us."

"Good work," Alden smiles. "Odd that they were searching you out, though. Were they looking for you specifically?"

"They seemed pretty shocked once they found out who we were," Rogue admits.

"That's because they thought we were weak and then I kicked their asses practically by myself," Sting grumbles.

"Only because you didn't _want_ me to help," Rogue puts in gruffly. "Which, by the way, what was that about?"

"You'll understand someday," Sting mumbles, then walks off towards the back of the church. "Alden, is the room in the back?"

"Yes, it is. I'm afraid there's only one bed..." Alden sighs. "I could get you some extra pillows and such if-"

"It's fine," Rogue cuts in. "We're used to it." He unfolds him arms, then follows Sting towards the back. "Thank you very much."

"The same goes to you," Alden smiles. "You boys have been a great help. I'll definitely call upon your guild next time I need anything."

Rogue smiles back warmly. "Thank you. That means a lot. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, you two."

Sting had already disappeared down the hallway by the time Rogue made his way to the back of the church. With a sigh, he pushes the door to the hall open, hoping that Sting wasn't mad at him. It almost sounded like there was something bothering him. Did he say something insensitive again? Rogue sighs, hanging his head. "I am such an idiot..." He stops in front of a slightly open door, assuming that this was the room. He enters slowly, hoping to not make Sting any more angry. To his shock, he hears a banging sound in the bathroom, repetitive like a drumbeat.

"Dammit!" he hears Sting curse. "So damn close! After all this time... Fuck, he probably thinks I hate him..." Another bang echoes in Rogue's ears, following by a hiss of pain.

Rogue cautiously approaches the door, then knocks. "Sting? Are you okay?" To his surprise, the door opens a moment later. Sting's hair is disheveled, and his eyes are slightly red. His shoulders are slumped, as if he was absolutely done with the world. His knuckles are slightly red, most likely from punching the floor.

"You don't hate me, right?" Sting says softly. "You do realize that when I told you to stay out of it, it wasn't because I doubted your abilities or wanted to show off...?"

Rogue smiles slightly, placing a hand on Sting's shoulder. "Of course," he says softly. "I could never hate you. We may disagree sometimes, or have trouble communicating what we're thinking, but that doesn't mean I care any less." The second Rogue says the words, he regrets them. _'Shit. Was that too obvious?'_

But Sting only grins in return. "Phew. I got worried there for a second." Yawning and running his fingers through his messy hair, he walks over to the bed. He pulls his boots off, then collapses on top of the covers.

Rogue slowly shrugs his cape off his shoulders and slides off his boots. He joins Sting on the bed, staring up the ceiling. The two of them lie there in silence for a while, until Sting finally moves to get underneath the covers. He lies facing the wall, not looking Rogue in the eye. Rogue slides under the covers as well, but faces the back of Sting's head instead. His mind whirling like a storm, he finally speaks his thoughts. "What was it you were going to tell me earlier?"

Sting freezes up, lying perfectly still. After what seemed like forever, he replies, "Nothing important."

"Lying isn't going to do you any good, you now," Rogue sighs. "I know it was important, otherwise you wouldn't be this upset about it."

Sting finally turns around, his face very close to Rogue's. "I can't just tell you now..." he says. "It doesn't work that way."

Rogue closes his eyes, trying to comprehend what Sting could possibly mean by that. "I...I have a few ideas of what this could be about...but...no real evidence to prove any of them right..."

To his shock, Sting answers, "It's probably the one you think is the least likely. Or, at least, the one you want to be right but lack the confidence in yourself to even consider it to be true..."

Rogue's eyes snap open. _'Does he know? He has pinpointed it right on the mark, but is that really what he's freaking out over? Could he actually...feel the same?'_ Rogue takes a deep breath, looking Sting directly in the eyes. "I...I don't know...how can you know what I'm thinking of...?"

A small, slightly nervous smile spreads across Sting's face. "Ask me."

Rogue takes a deep breath, his heart pounding like crazy. "I-Is it what I think it is?"

Sting can hear it in the way he speaks, the slight hope, the part of him that is so self-loathing that he couldn't possibly think that any of this was real. He gently presses his forehead against Rogue's, all fear gone now. He had what he needed to know. It was all spelled out in Rogue's vibrant red eyes. He leans forward just a tiny bit more so their foreheads touch. "Yes," he whispers. Sting closes his eyes, knowing what's to come, throwing all logic out out the window. Now was not the time for thoughts, now was the time to feel. He understood now, and he knew Rogue did too.

As their lips met in the middle, it was as if a piece fell into place. It was just... _right._ Gone now was the awkward tension between the two of them, replaced by mutual understanding. Finally they had come face to face with the thing they'd both been too scared to admit, smashing through the final wall between them. There was no turning back now.

Sting's lips were soft and surprisingly gentle as he melts into the kiss, an unimaginable flooding from his lips through his whole body. His eyes were closed tightly, not needing to open them. The beauty of the moment was already there: the spark, the emotion, Rogue's comforting scent in the air, the closeness of their bodies...it was all perfect.

Slowly they broke apart, their lips still tingling. Rogue could still feel the warmth in his chest, like a hearth fire, welcoming and bright. A single tear makes its way down his cheek, his emotions going wild. Someone actually cared about him... Sting gently wipes away the tear with his thumb, a gesture so small yet so kind that Rogue had to hold back more tears. Slowly Sting removes his hand and pulls him close, feeling the warmth of his partner's body against his.

They both stayed right there, foreheads still touching, breathing in sync as they slowly began to drift off to sleep. Not knowing if Rogue was awake, nor caring whether he was or not, Sting speaks the words he'd been holding back for so long. "I love you."

Beside him, Rogue smiles in the dark, too shy to reply just yet. Not that it mattered, as he knew that his feelings were as vibrant as the sunset.

* * *

 _ONE WEEK LATER_

* * *

With a sigh, Rogue shoves his dark bangs out of his face. Sabertooth wasn't very busy that day: most members were out on jobs, and those that weren't were simply hanging out. Yukino is talking to Minerva with a wide smile on her face, Ogra is joking around with his teammates, and Rufus is reading a book. Sting emerges from his office holding a stack of papers. "Oi, Rogue, help me put these new requests up." Rogue opens his mouth to protest at Sting's demanding tone, but softens when his partner's face lights up in a smile. "Please?"

"Sure," Rogue replies, taking half the stack and heading towards the request board.

As he begins pinning them up, Sting cups his hands around his mouth and shouts, "Hey! New jobs are going up if any of ya want to come!" Many people cheer, pleased to have more of a variety of work. (The last jobs had been only a waitressing job and a yard-cleaning one that didn't pay much). About half the lingering members crowd around the board as the Twin Dragons finish up the posting. Rogue instantly steps out of the way, knowing that if he didn't, he'd be shoved out of the way by some of the more eager members.

Sting walks over to Rogue, holding a paper. "Hey," he says, presenting the paper. "I snagged a job for us. How 'bout it? It seems to fit us to a T." Rogue studies the paper, reading the description. It was an A-class job, a monster-fighting job to be specific, and it called for two highly skilled wizards with good teamwork and compatible magic. The pay was a good amount, slightly more than typical on a job like this one.

"Sounds good," Rogue nods. Sting grins, shoving the paper into an inside pocket in his jacket. After calling for their Exceeds, the two of them head out of the guild hand in hand, the feeling so casual and _right_ that Rogue couldn't help but to smile. He can feel everyone's eyes on them, all them knowing that the two of them had confessed their feelings. They'd accepted it so easily and nonchalantly with remarks like 'Finally' or 'Took you two long enough' or 'You weren't already dating?'. Rogue had almost cried, as he had been afraid that they'd think it was gross or something. Sting had grinned his lopsided smile, turning to Rogue with an 'I told you so' look in his eyes. It had been one of the highlights of the week.

Without any discussion, the duo silently agrees to walk the four miles to their client's location instead of taking the train. Neither one of them felt like ruining their day with transportation. The walk was long, but not boring. Sting kept things entertaining by pointing out little silly things that people in each town were doing, much to Rogue's amusement. Despite Sting's sporadic personality, he actually was very perceptive, and noticed many things an ordinary person wouldn't. Rogue's smile didn't leave his face the entire time.

Sting knocks cheerfully on the door of their client, his smile still glued to his face. The door opens, and Sting says happily, "Hey there, we're from Sabertooth and we accepted your-"

"Come in, now," the old man says quickly, looking behind them as if worried that someone may be watching. "Hurry, hurry." The smile is instantly wiped from both Dragon Slayer's faces at this man's behavior.

"What's wrong?" Rogue asks as the man closes the door tight, locking it with three bolts.

"Nothing!" the man laughs. "I'm just happy someone's finally here, those bears are getting out of hand, haha..."

"Bears?" Rogue frowns. "The request said you were having trouble with mutant insects, not bears."

The man freezes, a look of fear flashing across his face. "Did it? Must of been a misprint. No, I need help with bears." He rushes into the kitchen, cleaning out some cups. "So, uh, which one of you is the Guild Master?"

"Me," Sting replies, raising a hand slightly. "So, where are these monsters, whatever they are? We'll get to work right away!"

The man coughs. "They, uh, are only active at nightfall. S-So," he pours some tea into cups and sets them down on the table, "come have some tea while you wait, I don't mind at all..."

Rogue sniffs the tea, uncertain. He opens his mouth to comment on it, but Sting beats him to it. "What's in this tea?"

"I-It's lavender," the man says, sweating. "I-If you'd prefer something else, I c-can get you-"

"No," Sting interrupts him. "It's fine. I was just making sure of something..." Rogue locks eyes with Sting, and they silently agree that there's something very fishy about this guy. Even though the tea does just smell like lavender and nothing else, Rogue can't help but to suspect that something's up. Maybe he'd done something to the honey, cream, or sugar?

The man swallows. "Um, e-excuse me...I have to use the restroom. I'll be right back." He rushes off towards the back of the house like a lightning bolt. Instantly Sting snatches up the sugar and honey and places his nose to them.

"Normal," he says with slight disbelief.

"What's wrong, Sting-kun?" Lector asks as he and Frosch climb onto the table.

"That guy is acting so suspicious," Sting replies, setting down the dishes and picking up the cream. "I mean, how could they misprint the request like that? And why did he bolt the door?"

"Bears aren't nocturnal," Rogue points out, folding his arms across his chest.

"That too," Sting places the cream back on the table. "I mean, this guy is screaming guil-" He stops as the client steps back into the kitchen, looking slightly more relaxed.

"Sorry," the old man apologizes, approaching the table.

"Tell us a little more about this job," Sting says, leaning closer to the man. Rogue recognizes the look on Sting's face easily. It was a perfect combination of his _I suspect bullshit_ face and his _you better obey me or I'll kick your ass_ face.

The man gulps, his nervousness returning. "I-I, well..." He quickly glances behind him, then looks back at Sting. "L-Look, I kind of lied about this job."

"Oh really?" Sting says sarcastically.

"I need to speak to you, G-Guild Master," the man stammers. "A-Alone."

"No," Rogue stands up before Sting can stay anything. "If you need to say something, you tell both of us."

Sting puts his arm out, pushing Rogue back slightly. "Rogue, it's okay." He locks eyes with the Shadow Dragon Slayer. "I'll be fine. Don't worry." On his way outside, he says, "I'm the Guild Master, remember?" He winks at Rogue, a grin on his face, then disappears outside.

Rogue's frown deepens. He could see the suspicion in Sting's eyes as he walked out, which he most likely tried to hide from the client. The longer Rogue waited for them to come inside, the more anxious he became. Something still was definitely off...there was something he was missing...

Then it hit him. "Why didn't I see it before?!" he cries, rushing towards the door. "How did he know one of us was the Guild Master if he didn't request us?!" He fumbles with the knob, then shoves the door open. The old man stands there in front of the door, his eyes wide. Seeing that he was alone, Rogue lashes out at the man. "Where is he?" His crimson eyes flash dangerously as he leans closer to the man. "Tell me!" he snarls.

"I'm sorry!" the man cries. "I had to! They have my granddaughter! I wanted to warn you, but I wasn't sure how! They were watching and listening in-!"

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Rogue screams, grabbing him by the collar. "WHO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? WHERE THE **HELL** IS MY PARTNER?"

Tears of fear fall from the man's eyes. "I'm sorry!" he wails again. "All I know is that they're called Black Dawn-"

"A Dark Guild!" Rogue hisses, turning away from the man. Lector and Frosch, who had followed Rogue to the door, shy away from his intense glare. He whirls back to the man. "What do they want with Sting?" his growls through his teeth.

"I don't know!" The old man is getting hysterical. "Something about a lacrima! I'm so sorry! I wish I could help you but-"

"You've done enough!" Rogue shouts. "Lector, Frosch, go back to the guild! Tell them that Sting's in danger, and to wait for a message from me!" The Exceeds activate their wings and fly away, frightened and worried sick.

Rogue turns to the old man. "I'll be sure to get your granddaughter back too," he says, his voice low and dangerous. "What's her name?!"

"Leora," the man chokes. "I-I'm so sorry, Dragon Slayer... I should've found a way to t-tell you..." He gulps. "Will your friend be okay, you think?"

"He's not my friend," Rogue replies, his voice hollow. "He's so much more than that." With that, he turns on his heel, his cape swirling behind him as he makes his way into the forest. It was time to follow Sting's scent. He was going to save Sting, the way the White Dragon Slayer had done for Rogue emotionally so many times in the past. It was time to return the favor at last.

* * *

 **I apologize for any OOC-ness. I just figured Rogue would act the way he did because he got so angry when questioning people about Frosch, and that was a more lighthearted situation than this one.**

 **Thanks for reading~!**

* * *

 **~ForeverDreamer12, signing out!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Wow, guys. This story has 8 reviews... And here I was thinking it wouldn't even get 2...**

 **Thank you all so much for your support! Everytime I see something from you it makes my day~**

 **So take a new chapter as a gift from me :) I'm off to orientation (ugh), and then school starts next week, so my update schedule is going to be a bit wack, but I'll definitely keep on going~**

 **Enjoy~**

* * *

 **~Black Dawn~**

 **-Chapter 4-**

* * *

The Sabertooth Guild Hall door swings open violently, revealing two gasping Exceeds. The guild falls silent when they realize that the two of them are alone, with the Twin Dragons nowhere in sight.

"Lector-sama, Frosch-sama," Yukino says quietly, approaching them. Being the closest to the two Dragon Slayers, she instantly took charge of the Exceeds as she always did when Sting and Rogue were unable to. "Are you alright? Where's Sting-sama and Rogue-sama?"

A tear falls from Lector's eye as he remembers the look of pure horror on Rogue's face. The way he screamed as if Sting being taken like this was the end, as if it was going to be impossible to save him. "S-Sting-kun...is gone," Lector chokes out.

Eyes widen all over the guild. "What?!" Ogra shouts.

"What do you mean, gone?!" Dobengal jumps in.

"Sting-sama..." Yukino whispers, thinking of her friend.

"He was t-taken by Black D-Dawn," Lector sobs. "R-Rogue-kun told us to come here and tell you that he'd send a message..."

The entire guild is silent, stunned by this turn of events. Sting was so strong, and with Rogue with him, how could he have gotten captured? "It must've been a trap," Rufus says quietly. "Some sort of trick. How else could this happen?"

"What did they want with him, do you know?" a newer Saber member asks the Exceeds, his eyes wide.

"Lacrima," Frosch says, repeating what it had heard eariler.

"What lacrima?" frowns Ogra.

Yukino turns white. "Lacrima..." she whispers, her voice shaking. "D-Do they mean Sting-sama's D-Dragon Slayer lacrima?"

"His Dragon Slaying lacrima?!" cries Yukino's friend Sierra. "But that would mean-"

"They would have to cut it out of him," whispers Rufus. The horrible implications take a moment to sink in, but even once they do, the guild remains silent. Fear for their friend and Guild Master was thick in the air. The tension hurt, weighing them all down.

Finally, Yukino speaks, "D-Don't worry, minna-san. I-If Rogue-sama went to look for him, then he'll be fine... Right?"

"Rogue will save him!" Frosch says with a determined expression. A bit of hope floods through the Sabertooth guild at Frosch's enthusiasm.

"Yeah," Lector sobs, "Sting-kun will come back to us..."

"For now, we need to wait for a message from Rogue," Minerva says, folding her arms across her chest. "It could in any form, so expect anything. However, he may not need us for this... If that is the case, we must be patient."

"Right," Yukino smiles, holding back tears. "Don't worry, Sting-sama," she whispers, "he's gonna save you... I swear it."

* * *

Dusk came upon the West Side of Fiore, a red sunset illuminating the sky. A lone figure makes his way through the narrow cobble streets, head down. An old woman at a makeshift table on the street mutters, "A red sunset... Someone's lost something tonight...poor soul." The figure whirls to look at her, his eyes empty and cold. The woman sighs. "How can I help you? Would you like your fortune told?"

"What do you know of the Dark Guild Black Dawn?" he asks coldly, approaching the table. Able to see him properly now that he's out of the shadows, the woman looks up into a familiar face. She recognizes him from the Grand Magic Games, but couldn't put her finger on who he was or what guild he's from.

"Well," she sighs, "not much. They're a Dark Guild that revolves around a black market where they sell rare magical items. They're very brutal, and will go to any lengths to get their hands on these objects. They are also connected to many treasure hunting guilds."

The mage clutches the end of the table, looking worried beyond belief. "Does this include Dragon Slayer lacrima?"

"I would assume so," the woman says, dusting off her crystal ball. "They _are_ rare and very expensive."

"Do you happen to know how to get in touch with them?" The wizard does not even stop for a second before asking the question, no hesitation at all in his voice.

"Are you crazy?" the woman laughs. "If you're looking to buy something, their prices are too high. What, do you want a Dragon Slayer lacrima or something?"

"I already have one." The woman's jaw drops. "No, I don't want to buy something." His gaze is cold and ruthless. "I simply want them to know that they have something very precious to me, worth more than any amount of money that could possibly ask for, and that I will not hesitate to turn every last bit of their so-called guild into nothing but dust." He turns away from the table, a dark shadowy aura coming off of him. "Thank you," he says softly. "I thought it was completely hopeless once I lost his scent, but thanks to your help, I might be able to track them down." He clenches his hand into a fist. "Black Dawn is going to learn to never mess with Sabertooth, especially the Twin Dragons." With that, he makes his way back down the street and into the shadows.

The woman's jaw drops. Now it all made sense. She had been shocked to learn that this young man was seeking to destroy a Dark Guild and had a Dragon Slayer lacrima, but now it all made sense. This man had the power to actually defeat them... Rogue Cheney, the Shadow Dragon. She smiles to herself. "Good luck to you," she whispers, looking into her crystal ball with his face in mind. "You've got quite the journey ahead of you."

* * *

Sting's eyes had never felt so heavy in his entire life. His whole body felt like lead, a strange soreness flooding through him. The last he remembered was that old man apologizing, someone hitting Sting in the head... Sting forces his eyes open, fearing what he might see.

He finds that he's strapped to a vertical table, wearing only his pants. His head starts throbbing, as the lights in the room and the overwhelming white of walls around him were too bright. It was a little ironic to Sting that something could be too white, especially when he was known as the White Dragon. But in that moment, Sting longs for just a slight bit of black.

"Rogue," he whispers, his eyes widening. Was he here too? Or had the man left him alone? Sting groans, not believing how badly he'd screwed up. He'd simply thought that by going with the man alone, he might've been able to find a way to coax whatever he was hiding out of him. Obviously, that didn't work. Damn, Sting was going to kill that guy someday. Sting struggles against the cuffs confining him to the table, desperately trying to activate his Dragon Force.

"Those are magic sealing handcuffs," an extremely bored voice yawns. "You're wasting your energy."

Sting turns his head to look at the speaker. She is dressed in gray and has long reddish-purple hair. Sting's eyes widen at the sight of the Black Dawn guild mark on her arm. It took a moment to sink in that he was, in fact, being held captive in a fairly powerful Dark Guild, but when it did sink in, it hurt. He ignores her words and struggles against the cuffs once more. "Am I the only one here?! he asks angrily, not mentioning Rogue's name, knowing that they could probably use it against him in the future.

"You mean the Shadow Dragon Slayer?" sighs the woman. Sting's heart sinks...they have him. "No," the woman shifts her sitting position on the white chair ever-so-slightly. "He was our second choice. But we've got you, we don't need him. Of course, two would be nice, but...eh." Her tone of voice is so monotone and boring that Sting makes a mental note to strangle her once he gets free. She yawns again, leaning back in the chair. "You're so boring, though. I kind of wish we had the other instead."

Sting's eyes narrow, but he ignores the insult. "If you want Rogue to come here, than you're in luck," he spits. "He's gonna show up, I can guarantee it. He wouldn't just leave me here."

"Too bad for him," she flicks a piece of her hair with disinterest. "Our guild is impossible to find."

"Never underestimate a Dragon Slayer," Sting says confidently, leaning forward against his bonds. "And if by some rare chance he doesn't show, I'll just have to make your life hell by myself!"

"Such a fool," another female voice says from the doorway. A cobalt-haired woman with intense black eye shadow appears in the doorway. "Keima, you may go now."

"Yes, mistress," the bored girl sighs, and she stands up and leaves the room. Cobalt Hair closes the door behind her, and slowly makes her way across the room towards Sting.

"Hello, White Dragon Sting Eucliffe, Sabertooth's Guild Master," she whispers creepily, pulling a knife out of a piece of her belt. "I am Croya." Sting opens his mouth to make a comeback when she clamps her left hand over his mouth. "Not now," she coos. "Save your voice for screaming." She touches the cold blade of her knife to his chest, brushing it lightly against his skin. It wasn't deep enough to cut, but it sent shivers up Sting's spine. "You have something I want," she continues, tracing the area around his heart with the knife.

Sting struggles against the cuffs again, desperately wanting to break free and punch her in the face. "Now, now, we can't have that." Her voice is sickly sweet, like poisoned honey. "I need you to behave, until I finish extracting the lacrima, okay?" Sting's eyes widen with fear. His Dragon Slayer lacrima... It is literally part of him, implanted into his skin. It is half his magic power, half of what keeps him alive in crazy situations. He pushes even harder against the bonds, real fear coursing through his veins.

"But before we do that..." she whispers, locking eyes with him. Sweat pours down Sting's face, his blue eyes wide with fear. He had no idea why he felt so weak... Tears pool in his eyes and slowly slide down his cheeks, mixing with the sweat. "Let's test the waters a little bit, shall we?"

* * *

 **Well, I'm officially evil. XD Things are about to get dark, so brace yourself~**

* * *

 **~ForeverDreamer12, signing out.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Not the happiest with how this chapter turned out, but I hope it does you justice ^.^**

 **Enjoy~**

* * *

 **~Black Dawn~**

 **-Chapter 5-**

* * *

Smoke curls through the air, thick and suffocating. Coughing loudly, a member of the Stained Gold Dark Guild tries to stand. His fellow members lie defeated on the ground around him, completely overwhelmed. "So...strong..." the young man coughs. He gazes towards the rising sun, his heart pounding. He couldn't believe what he had just done. He had just told an enemy of darkness the location of Black Dawn's Guild Hall. Even though their guild hall still had other things hiding it, he had given up top secret information. He knew the higher-ups are going to kill him once they find out...

He looks towards the distance at the cloaked figure who was running east, every footstep barely even touching the ground. In the past 12 hours, this man had destroyed three lesser Dark Guilds: all the ones underneath Black Dawn. The Stained Gold member had no idea what the Legal Guild wizard's motive was, or if he even had a motive, but he wasn't letting up his search for Black Dawn anytime soon.

"Masters..." the Dark Wizard whispers. "I-I'm sorry...but...he's..." He falls to his knees, gasping from pain, "...too...strong..."

* * *

 **WARNING: The following scene contains slightly graphic torture. (Because I'm paranoid this is sorta rated M for blood and gore). If this makes you uncomfortable, skip to the next bold section.**

* * *

Sting screams as he feels the knife dig into his skin, creating a thin line that digs deep in his flesh. Croya laughs manically, then moves the knife to the other side of his chest. She cuts again, laughing when Sting screams louder than before, tears falling off his cheeks to the floor. "S-STOP!" His voice is cracked and full of pain. "PLEASE, STOP, I B-BEG YOU!" He squeezes his eyes shut, a sob escaping his throat. How did she do this to him? Why did he feel so damn helpless? Blood was dripping off his chest and splattering onto the white tiles. His blood is hot and thick, coating the surfaces all around him. Her bare hands are covered in his blood, as well as her perfectly white clothes. Everything was either blinding white or burning red.

Everything hurt. Sting's whole body felt like it was on fire. He had no defense, not even a sliver of magic to harden his skin into scales. He was weak...he was so, so weak... His head was throbbing, his chest felt raw, and his throat felt like it was bleeding from screaming. He just wanted this pain to stop... At this point she could take his lacrima and Sting would let her, as long as this pain stopped. "D-Do it..." he sobs. "C-Cut it out already...m-make the pain...s-stop..."

"Oh~?" Croya smirks. "Is this the sound of you giving up? I thought you were taught to never give up." She digs the knife into his stomach, just enough to cut through the skin, and twists the knife around. The sound that escapes Sting's throat is inhuman, so full of pain that it sounds strangled. Croya's laughter only increases as Sting's brain shuts down. Nothing was there but pain. Sting was sure blood was pouring from the gaping hole in his stomach, but he couldn't even feel it. The blood had coated his flesh, making it feel like a second skin.

Panting as blood drips from his lips, Sting gazes at Croya with half-opened eyes. Her face is twisted with pleasure, obviously loving the pain she was inflicting on her helpless captive. Her voice is low and lulling, but Sting can't make out any words. All he can hear is the sound of dragged out syllables, a creepy hum in his ears. He can feel the blade digging back into his skin, creating even deeper cuts than before. The pain is almost nothing now, his body numb from the agony he was being put through.

"Tell me, White Dragon," Croya purrs, her voice finally focusing once more. Her slender fingers brush against his bloody skin in an almost gentle manner, her nails scraping lines in the red. "This other Dragon Slayer...what is he to you, hmm?" Squeezing his watery blue eyes shut, Sting's body shakes violently. He bites down hard on his lip, drawing more blood. "Oh? Someone important then?" Croya says with mock surprise. "Judging by your reaction, I'd say someone _very~_ important."

Coughing violently, Sting spits blood in her face. Her eyes widen dangerously, flashing with anger. "Is that _defiance_?" she snarls. More tears slide down Sting's cheeks at the thought of this monster getting her bloody hands on Rogue...on _his_ Rogue... He couldn't imagine how hard Rogue would take it... Sting could already hear his screams and sobs, could already see the blood...

Mustering the last bit of strength he has, Sting breathes out, "Don't...t-touch him..."

Croya grabs the Dragon Slayer's chin, sending pain through his jaw. "Oh~? So you are fighting back." She laughs hysterically, not even looking at where she's sticking her knife. Her leering expression bores into his skull as she whispers, "I'm going to kill him. But first...I have to get rid of you~" The knife's blade pierces his old stomach wound, cutting through layers of flesh and muscle.

Sting screams so loud that it could shatter glass, the sound high-pitched and strangled. Blood sprays everywhere, splattering all around him and onto Croya. Her white clothes are soaked with blood, leaving rusty crimson stains. She laughs hysterically, the sound nearly lost in Sting's howls. Tears coat his face, turning red from the blood. His whole body writhes in torment, losing all feeling except for the burning agony.

The last thing he sees before blacking out are Croya's gray eyes glinting with delight.

* * *

 **Okay, guys, you're alright now :)**

* * *

Rogue skids to a halt as he emerges from the forest, exhausted from running for miles. He places his hands on his knees, sweat dripping down his forehead. The only thing that has kept him going for so long has been the thought of Sting losing his lacrima, the look of pain that would be in his eyes, the weakness it would bring him...

The two of them had gotten so used to their lacrima that if something happened to them, they most likely would become incredibly sick. Magic power was a wizard's life force, and losing half of your power would certainly cripple you. Fairy Tail had told him about how when they gained their second origin, it had hurt like hell, and that was a positive experience. How would it feel getting half your life force stripped from you?

Rogue finally stands up straight again, rejuvenated by the horrible images flashing through his mind. He looks all around him, searching for the guild hall that was supposedly here. He frowns, not seeing anything. "Did he lie to me?" he hisses, his eyes narrowing. Suddenly, he stops. He sniffs the air, smelling something odd...something not natural to a forest.

He could smell stone, brick, and people. There also was a heavy feeling of dark magic in the air. He was in the right place, that was for sure. So where was the guild hall? He closes his eyes again, sniffing the air. He follows the scent of people until he hits into something. He frowns, placing his hand in front of him. There was a wall there. Suddenly it made sense: the guild hall was invisible.

"Smart," Rogue mumbles. "But not smart enough..." He slides his hand across the invisible surface until he hits something protruding from it. A smirk spreads across his lips. There was the handle. He'd found his way in. He _could_ sneak in quietly like he normally did, sticking to the shadows and ambushing from the darkness. However, this was not the time for lurking behind the scenes. It was time to make some noise.

His fingers curl around the handle, and he yanks it forward. A rush of air hits him in the face as the inside of a building appears to him. A guild member who was betting at a table with a few other members says, "Finally. Took you long enough, Egmer." Rogue simply stood there in the entrance, glaring at him and his buddies. When the man gets no response, he turns around to look at the doorway, "Egmer, why-" He freezes at the sight of Rogue, then yelps, "INTRUDER!"

A shadow grabs him by the throat, strangling him. "Scream all you want," Rogue says coldly. "Bring your whole guild here for all I care. I'll wipe every single one of you out."

"Who do you think you are?" hisses a dark-haired girl, standing up and creating a ball of energy in her hands.

Rogue closes his hand into a fist, and the shadow holding the other member finishes the job. The man falls to the floor, unconscious. Furious, the rest of the guild members stand up and ready their magic. "Yeah, who the hell are you?" snaps another girl.

Rogue throws his cloak to the side, revealing his face and Sabertooth guild mark. "I am Rogue Cheney, Sabertooth's Shadow Dragon," he says with a no-nonsense tone. "And I came to retrieve something _very_ important to me."

"It's him!" squeaks a man, hiding behind a chair. "He's found out we were responsible!"

"It was probably that stupid old man!" hisses the dark-haired girl. "Ugh! I hate having to use people like that, because they always end up betraying us! Why can't pawns be more cooperative?!"

Before she can say anything more, Rogue has moved from his position in the door and towards them. One by one he wipes out the guild members like they are nothing. His shadows fill the room as he pours all of his pent-up anger and worry into each and every attack. His glinting red eyes show no mercy as he strikes them down without hesitation.

When they all lie unconscious on the floor, with no way to tell if they were dead or not, Rogue makes his way to the back rooms of the guild. He takes care of any stragglers with a simple swipe of his hand, calling upon the shadows to knock them down. He follows his nose, desperately searching everywhere for Sting. His partner's scent gets stronger, but with it is the overwhelming smell of blood. Rogue's stomach twists as he descends into the basement of the guild.

"Stay awake, haha! Blacking out again won't do you any good! You were the one begging for me to get done with it, weren't you?!" a female voice cackles. Her voice is suddenly drowned out by animalistic screaming, shrill and painful. Rogue's eyes widen as he rushes towards the door where it was coming from. He readies the shadows around his fist, and slams it into the locked door. The door explodes into pieces of white metal, falling to the ground all around him.

"What the fuck?!" he hears the woman screech. "This guild hall is a secret! How could anyone be here?!"

Rogue's whole body is engulfed in a black aura as he activates his Dragon Force. His red eyes glare at Croya with a fierceness that he had never had before. "I finally found you."

* * *

 **Next chapter will be the climax, so get ready~ I have some crazy shit planned, heheh...**

* * *

 **~ForeverDreamer12, signing out.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Before I begin, yes, I'm aware the Croya's magic is somewhat to one of the Demon Gates (Kyoka I think?). Thanks for all the feedback guys, love you~ Enjoy the angst~**

* * *

 **~Black Dawn~**

 **-Chapter 6-**

* * *

The dust settles around Rogue, revealing the room to him. His eyes flick from the furious face of Croya to Sting who is cuffed to a vertical table. Rogue's eyes widen, seeing that his partner's skin is coated in a thick layer of blood. He has a gaping wound in his stomach, along with many cuts all over his chest. A small, rounded cut is the freshest, right near where the lacrima was implanted. Rogue had made it just in time.

Sting opens one tear-filled blue eye, having heard Rogue's voice and smelt his scent. "Ro...gue..." he says weakly, a small smile gracing his lips.

Croya frowns, hiding away her fury. "Rogue Cheney, isn't it?"

"That's right," Rogue says coldly, turning his attention back to her. The shadows around him did not fade or falter. Finally, he had made it. It was time to end Sting's suffering.

He readies a shadow in his hand, preparing to strike. His whole body is covered in darkness, the shadows leaking out of him without restraint. Rogue knew that he could keep calm and controlled to the extent where every move was planned fifteen seconds in advance, where everything was timed perfectly without fail. But he also knew that he wouldn't be able to hold back this uncontrollable anger in his chest, the full blown rage of seeing the one he loved in such a state. Sting was strong, stronger than Rogue, the light in the darkness. Seeing him pushed to his limit, broken beyond belief...it was like someone had ripped Rogue's heart in two.

So he just let the darkness take over, wiped his mind of everything but saving Sting, and attacked. Croya barely had time to block Rogue's fist as it came raining down on her, her own magic activating just in time. She tries to shove him back, screaming, "Painful Blast!" Rogue winces as a wave of pain floods over him, but he sinks his fanged canines into his cheek and attacks once more. Again, he wipes his mind, feeling nothing but his magic. He aims for her stomach, each move mindless yet perfectly executed. He makes contact this time, and she yelps loudly, jumping away from him. Her eyes flash dangerously. "Oh, you'll pay for that, you ass! PAIN WAVE!"

Rogue can't hold back the noise of pain erupting in his throat as he staggers back. Her magic was so strange...she was giving pain a tangible form, a purple-red light that radiates an aura of fear. Rogue began to wonder if this magic was part of the reason Sting was so screwed up: had she been using the magic on him to make the pain worse while she tortured him? This thought causes an even deeper bubbling anger in Rogue's soul, rising in his chest and to his throat. A roar of fury escapes his lips as he lunges towards her, tears flooding from his eyes. When they arrived, he wasn't sure. His emotions were everywhere right now. Rarely did he ever lose control like this, and now that it was happening, he felt stronger than ever before. _Emotions are power..._

His hand wraps around her throat as he pulls her off her feet and into the air. His blood red eyes appear to glow with power as his fingers tighten around her windpipe. _"You,_ " his voice echoes, sounding inhuman, " _are going to learn why you should never mess with me. You cannot destroy a shadow...nor can you beat it. You have made a grave mistake touching someone I care about."_

Sting's eyes widen from where he is strapped to the table. His joy at seeing his partner now faded into fear. Something was dreadfully off about Rogue: the way he spoke, the way he fought, the way he stood. He opens his mouth, trying to say something, anything, but the words die in his mouth. Blood comes out instead: thick, wet, and hot. Sting coughs, crimson coating his dry lips.

Croya struggles against Rogue's tight grip, her whole body shaking. Her eyes are wide, her pupils dilated to twice their normal size. Gasping for air, she manages to choke out, "Who a-are you? S-Something's wrong w-with you!"

 _"I am your worst enemy,"_ a smirk forms on Rogue's lips. _"I am the last thing you will see before you leave this world behind... You will cease to exist. You will become one with the shadow."_

Sting's heart pounds in his chest, fear forming a lump in his throat. This was _not_ Rogue. This...this _thing_ was what Rogue feared. It was the very darkness in his heart that he'd desperately tried to push away. And now...he was _letting_ it take over. Did he think the power he had alone wasn't enough? From the moment Rogue had blasted into this place, he'd won. The extra power was unnecessary...and dangerous.

"P-Please," chokes Croya, "s-spare me...I p-promise I'll never hurt your g-guild ever again..."

 _"How do I know you speak the truth, Croya?"_ Rogue asks, leaning closer to her. She trembles underneath his violent gaze, the black marks on his face giving him an even more menacing appearance. _"I can't just trust you like that..."_ He pauses. _"Besides, what do I care about Sabertooth? Do what you want with them."_

Sting chokes his own blood and Croya's eyes widen. "W-What?" she stammers. "B-But you burst into here to save-"

 _"Sting, yes."_ Rogue falls silent for a moment. _"But that was Rogue's intention. And it still was his intention even as I slowly started to take over again. He's a fool, honestly. He thought that by letting his emotions control him he could win with no complications... He was ignorant to the fact that he would've won anyways. Not that it matters now, as I am in control. His blind rage allowed me free passage into his very soul."_

A silent tear slides down Sting's cheek. It was all over now. This was his worst fear coming to life in front of his very eyes. Not only was Rogue lost in darkness, Sting could tell that he wouldn't care about Sting anymore. Just like the Eclipse version of himself, Rogue was going to kill Sting and steal his power. Sting lets another tear fall. His heart ached. They'd been so close, the two of them. Finally, they had broken down the last barrier between them: their uncertain feelings. They had both come to terms with their sexuality, and how they truly felt about their partner. The feelings had been so real, so deep and emotional. Sting loves Rogue in a way he's never loved anyone before. When he's with him, he feels like he could do anything. They fit together like puzzle pieces, clicking into place in perfect unison. But that was all gone now, lost in the shadows and blood.

 _"Croya, I will spare you if you promise me something,"_ Shadow Rogue's fingers tighten even more around her throat. _"I want you to join me in the conquest over this world. I will find a way to make this world my kingdom, and I the king."_

Croya's eyes widen even more than before, fear prominent in her irises. "I-I-" she stammers. "Y-Yes, I suppose I c-could..." She gasps, trying to bring air back into her lungs. "Please...l-let me g-go..." Shadow Rogue drops her to the floor in a very anti-climactic manner, his eyes cold and ruthless. Croya coughs, trying to crawl towards her knife that fell to the floor. Shadow Rogue's eyes narrow, wondering what she plans to do with it.

 _"Croya...are you planning to betray me?"_ She looks up at him with wide, fearful eyes. Unable to speak, she slowly shakes her head. _"Don't lie to me... I can see your fear...I know what you are thinking..."_

Sting winces painfully, an idea forming in his head. With Shadow Rogue's attention on Croya, he had an opening. He strains against his bonds once more, sweat pooling around his forehead. All he needed to do was find a way to reach Rogue's sword... He turns his wrist inward, feeling his skin digging into the cuffs. They were just loose enough that he could reach forward just a tiny bit...

Miraculously, his fingers touch the tip of the hilt. Squeezing one eye shut in pain, Sting strains just a little bit further. A hiss of agony escapes his lips as he finally manages to curl his fingers around the sword. He slowly begins to pull it out of the sheath, desperately hoping that Shadow Rogue wouldn't notice. Thankfully, his attention was still focused on Croya, who is sobbing on the floor as Shadow Rogue continues to hit her with relentless attacks.

"Stop!" she screams painfully.

 _"No. You have betrayed my trust."_

Sting clenches his teeth tightly together. The sword was over halfway out already. With one last tug, the sword slides right out of the sheath. Panting, Sting holds the sword properly in his right hand. Rogue's sword is magical: it has special powers that allow it to cut through metal and other normally impossible to slice through materials. Sting could only hope that it would work to cut through his cuffs. Since they were magic- _sealing and_ not magic- _resistant_ , it should work...

With one slightly sloppy motion, Sting cuts through the cuffs holding back his feet. With shaking hands, he slowly cuts his left hand free. He then moves the sword to his now free hand, preparing to cut the final bond. His wounds begin reopening due to the movement, fresh blood covering his already drenched body.

From the floor, Croya's eyes widen. "P-Prisoner...esc-ca-"

Shadow Rogue slams her into the floor with a well-placed attack to the head. _"Silence. I want to hear no more."_

Sting nearly lets out a sigh of relief. _'Rogue...'_ he thinks. _'Even_ _in this state...you're still helping me...'_ He slowly cuts through the last cuff, then falls to the floor with a loud thump.

Shadow Rogue whirls around, his red eyes wide in surprise. Sting's vision is blurred from the pain, but he manages to stagger to his feet. He coughs, blood spilling from his mouth. Shakily he moves the sword to his right hand and extends it in front of him. His whole body is trembling, but he somehow manages to stay upright. "G-Give...me...R-Rogue...ba...ck..." he pants, tears sliding from his eyes.

Shadow Rogue stares at him for a moment, then his eyes move to the tip of the sword. His expression is almost one of pity, which makes Sting even angrier. Even though he could barely see, stand, or breathe, he could still feel with all his might. Determined, he pours all his emotions into his actions. He takes a shaky step forward, his face darkened by the shadows. "D-Do it...or I'll h-have to...k-kill...you..."

To Sting's shock, a single tear slides down Shadow Rogue's face. _"Fool..."_ he hisses. His voice is shaky, as if he's losing control. At first Sting thinks that the other Dragon Slayer is talking to him. But when Shadow Rogue clutches his head, a look of anguish crossing his face, realization hits Sting in the throat. A choking sound escapes his lips...he recognizes that pose... That's exactly what Rogue does when he wakes up from a nightmare, his hands clutching either sides of his head as tears fall from his eyes.

"F-Fight him!" Sting coughs, a fresh wave of tears coming on. "You c-can escape the darkness, R-Rogue!"

 _"Rogue is...DEAD!"_ screams Shadow Rogue, his eyes shut tightly as he staggers to stay upright. His hands drop from his head and fall to his sides. Shadow Rogue's bangs cover up his eyes, preventing Sting from seeing any struggle that could possibly be going on at the moment. _"I have won!"_ he cries out. _"I am the strongest Dragon Slayer to ever live!"_

"Y-You're wrong," Sting chokes out. Shadow Rogue's head snaps up, his red eyes full of anger. Slowly, a bloody smile spreads across Sting's face. "You're the weakest man alive...you aren't even human...you h-have no respect for life...y-you're all alone...you've g-got no one to back you up...and that's why...even now...even though I can barely stand...I am still stronger than you...because I can still _feel_... This is a lesson I've learned the h-hard way..."

Sting gasps painfully, blood dripping down his chin. His lip trembles as his tears fall faster and faster. Rogue's sword clatters to the floor, Sting's arm losing it's strength. "I used to be like you...I used to not give a fuck about anything but p-power! I w-was a m-monster...! But Natsu-san sh-showed me the w-way out... And since then...I've become a s-stronger...b-better...person...!"

 _"You're right, I'm not human,"_ Shadow Rogue hisses, stepping closer to Sting. He strikes him with a shadow, causing the White Dragon to cry out in pain. Over and over again he hits him, his voice dangerously soft. Somehow, his sentence makes it over Sting's cries of pain. _"I'm a shadow...I don't need petty emotions..."_

Sting laughs shakily, causing Shadow Rogue to freeze. Slowly Sting lifts his head to look at him. "Then why are you crying?"

Shadow Rogue's eyes widen. He reaches up to touch his cheek, his fingers coming up wet. _"N_ -N _o..."_ he whispers, his voice cracking. _"This_ c-can't _be_ happ _eni_ ng... _I AM THE STR_ ON _G_ EST _!"_ He falls to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably. _"I..._ am _...the_ strong _est..."_

Sting's body suddenly becomes aware to the fact that he's standing with bleeding wounds, and he crumples to the floor alongside his possessed partner. He reaches out with a single bloody hand, trying to touch Rogue's cheek. His vision is so blurry he can hardly see, and his wounds hurt so badly he's having trouble staying awake. "Rogue..." he whispers, slightly delusional from blood loss. "P-Please...if...if I...d-die here...will you..." He coughs, blood splattering on the floor in front of him. "...will you...stay...with...me...?"

As he speaks, Croya crawls across the floor towards Rogue's discarded sword. Tears of pain are on her cheeks as well, falling to the floor as her fingers curl around the hilt. She slowly rises to her feet, the sword held high above her. She staggers towards Shadow Rogue, determination written all over her face.

"Please...say you'll st-stay with me..." Sting whispers, reaching towards him. His arm is extended in midair, nowhere close to reaching his partner. Blood drips down from his shoulder, sliding down his arm, then falling to the white tile below.

A shadow looms over Rogue's body, causing Sting's eyes to widen. "No..." he whispers, seeing the sword the shadowy figure was carrying. "No..no...NO!"

With no hesitation, Croya brings the sword down.

Everything seems to slow down as Sting screams and tries to make it to his feet. The sword's blade glints the light, nearing Rogue's shoulder. With all the strength Sting has left, he launches himself at Shadow Rogue. The two of them fall to the floor, Sting's battered body protecting Shadow Rogue from harm. The sword slams in the ground where Shadow Rogue had just knelt, breaking through the tile.

Enraged, Croya brings the sword back up, positioning it over the Twin Dragons' limp forms. Shadow Rogue's head is spinning from the impact against the tile. All he can see is the sword's blade above him, and Sting's small diamond earring sparkling in the light. His red eyes fill with tears, knowing what was to come. He was the strongest...and yet, he was going to die...

Blood splatters across the tile, though the sound of shattering still fills Shadow Rogue's ears. To his shock, he was completely spared from the attack. He turns his head slightly. His eyes widen when he notices Sting's limp form on top of him, a huge gash in his chest, and shattered pieces of lacrima on his skin.

"No..." he whispers. His black lines begin to fade from his face as he slowly moves into a sitting position. He pulls Sting's head into his lap, tears sliding down his face. "I was too late..." Rogue whispers, not remembering the horrible things he'd done and said prior to the incident.

Croya takes a step back, trembling a bit. A sudden wave of fear washes over her as Rogue turns to look at her. Grief and anger swirl inside of his crimson eyes as he studies her face. Seeing his sword in her hands, Rogue lets his anger go. He screams at the top of his lungs, his eyes shut tight as he shoots a shadow directly at Croya. The magic pierces her skin, going straight through her. She falls to the tile floor, all life gone from her eyes. Rogue breaks down right there on the floor, cradling Sting's limp body in his lap as he openly cries.

This was his worst nightmare come to life...

He had failed.

* * *

 **;)**

 **Want to kill me yet? XD I have to admit, writing this was fun in a really messed up way... XD My poor babies...**

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 **~ForeverDreamer12, signing out.**


	7. Chapter 7

**HEYYY~**

 **LOOK WHO FINALLY GOT BACK TO WORKING ON THIS.**

 **I'm so sorry I took longer than usual... I wanted this chapter to be perfect, ahaha...**

 **Sad music is recommended once more~ Enjoy~**

* * *

 **~Black Dawn~**

 **-Chapter 7-**

* * *

 _Beep. Beep. Beep._

The room was silent, a blanket of night cast over the hospital. A lone figure sat by the bedside of a wounded young man connected to life support, his heart monitor beeping in constant rhythm. A single doctor makes his way into the room, moving towards the heart monitor. He sighs, his shoulders slumping. The young man sitting by the bed looks up, his red eyes wide. "What is it?"

"He's not doing to well," the doctor admits. "His shoulder's really infected, we'd probably have to amputate...his stomach is probably never going to heal...and his chest is an absolute disaster. The lacrima pieces barely missed his heart..."

Rogue grips Sting's hand tighter, afraid of what was to come.

 _Beep. Beep. Beep._

"I'm afraid that his heart's beating a little too slow as well... He's suffered major blood loss," another doctor says, approaching the first. He looks the other in the eye, a sad expression on his face. "...We're gonna have to..." The other doctor nods, understanding what he meant.

"Going to have to what?" Rogue asks, his voice cracking with desperation.

"I'm so sorry," the first doctor says softly.

"No..." Rogue whispers, his eyes widening.

"But we're going to have to pull the plug."

Rogue froze there for a long moment, eyes wide as he stares at Sting's limp body. Silent tears slide down his cheeks as he holds onto his partner's hand even tighter. "No...please tell me that's not true...h-he's gonna make it..."

"Right now he's just in pain," the second doctor says sadly. "Don't you want him to go out peacefully?"

"I don't want him to go out at all!" Rogue suddenly screams, jumping to his feet. The second doctor takes a step back. "This isn't actually happening..." Rogue whispers. His voice jumps an octave unexpectedly as he screams again, "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! HE'S GOING TO MAKE IT!"

The first doctor simply shakes his head, a solemn expression etched in his features.

"YOU CAN'T DO IT!" Rogue sobs. "HE CAN'T LEAVE ME! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! HE'S STILL GOT STRENGTH, GIVE HIM A CHANCE!" He clutches onto his head, his sobs shaking his entire body. "Sting..." he whispers. "Remember...please remember...all those things Natsu told you...remember how he told you to be strong..." He falls to his knees, screaming, "PLEASE REMEMBER! I CAN'T LOSE YOU!"

 _Beep...Beep...Beep._

"I won't let you die..." Rogue sobs. "I can't let you die... I...I don't know what I'd do without you..."

The first doctor takes a step towards Rogue, but is stopped by the second one. "Don't," he says softly. "Give him his space."

Rogue looks up towards Sting's limp form, his heart heavy. "This is my fault, isn't it?" he whispers. "You died...for me... I...k-killed you." His red eyes overflow with tears once more, streaming down his face. "This is all my fault... Once this is over, I'm f-falling, aren't I? I'm going to lose myself... I'm going to go home and something is g-going to have happened to Frosch... I'm going to fall into shadow... And that h-horrible future is going to come t-to pass..." He breaks down, covering his face with his hands. "I'm so sorry, Sting... I'm so, so sorry..."

 _Beep..._

 _Beep..._

 _Beep..._

"Please don't do it..." Rogue looks up at the doctors, his face stained with tears. "Please...let him live for a little bit longer... D-Don't do this to me...don't do this t-to him..."

"I'm so sorry..." the second doctor tells him sorrowfully. "But there's nothing we can do. He's not going to make it... If he does wake up, he's going to wake up to a world of pain, and will simply have a few agonizing minutes of screaming before he dies... He'd be in hysterics...it'd feel like someone'd ripped out his very heart, then started burning him from the inside. You don't want him to be in pain, correct?"

Rogue shakes his head. "No," he whispers, barely audible.

"That is why we have to do this," the first doctor adds quietly. "We don't want him to feel any more pain before he passes. We want him to be peaceful in his last moments..."

Rogue sits there in silence, listening to their words. He clutches his hand into a fist, trembling as he looks at Sting's passive face. "Okay..." he finally whispers. "But you have to give me a moment... I need some time to say g-goodbye...please."

"Of course," the second doctor replies, watching as Rogue slowly makes his way to his feet.

Rogue approaches Sting's beside, tears falling down his cheeks and dripping off his chin. He slowly places his forehead against Sting's, his whole body trembling. "I know I never got to say it..." he chokes out, his voice weak. "B-But I...I love you so much...a-and I wish I c-could have told you sooner... Knowing isn't the same as hearing it..." He closes his eyes, his breathing ragged.

"I had a feeling you weren't going to make it...b-but I ignored it until they told me it was over...e-even then, I still believed in you... Just like I always have... I don't want to lose you...b-but I don't want you to hurt anymore." Slowly he presses his lips against Sting's, then pulls away. Placing his hand into Sting's, he whispers a final blessing. "Be free," he whispers. "Go fly in the sky like the birds... Don't let anything hold you back...and just remember that there are people who will always love you." A single tear falls from Rogue's face, landing on Sting's cheek. "Goodbye."

 _Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep._

The doctors silently move out of the room, knowing that Rouge is going to want to be alone. Rogue falls to his knees beside Sting's bed, his entire body shaking like a leaf. "NOOOOOOO!" he howls, tears cascading down his cheeks. "BRING HIM BACK! PLEASE! SOMEONE! ANYONE! I'LL DO ANYTHING! **ANYTHING!** TAKE ME INSTEAD! I DON'T WANT TO LIVE WITHOUT HIM! PLEASE!"

His voice cracks unevenly. "Please..." he whispers. "N-Not Sting...a-anyone but Sting..." He lets out another strangled sob, his mouth falling open as tears pour down his cheeks. "P-Please...this has to be...a lie... I...I can't do this...I can't live without h-him..." He clutches his head, choking on his own tears. "I l-love him!" he wails. "Is that so wrong?! What did we ever do to deserve this?! WHAT DID WE DO?!

"WE MAY HAVE BEEN MISGUIDED IN THE PAST, BUT WE WERE PRATICALLY CHILDREN! WE'VE BEEN TRYING SO HARD TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT! OH GOD, HAVE WE TRIED! SO **WHY?! WHY US? WHY IS IT ALWAYS US?!** "

Rogue's hands fall from his head and to his sides. He looks up at the ceiling, the bright lights blinding him. "Kill me..." he whispers. "Someone...a-anyone...j-just do it...p-please...l-let me be with him a-again... I can't...I won't...be alone..."

He goes into hysterics again, digging his nails into his palms. "HE PROMISED ME! HE PROMISED ME THAT I'D NEVER BE ALONE AGAIN! HE SWORE HE WOULD NEVER LEAVE ME! SO WHY?! WHY STING?! WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME?! C-COME BACK! COME BACK TO ME, P-PLEASE!"

His gaze slowly shifts to Sting's limp body, to the emptiness in his dark blue eyes. The glint of a single earing casts rainbows on his face, giving him an unearthly glow. He looked...at peace. But there was still so, so much blood... Too much blood...

"I'm sorry...Sting..." With shaking hands, Rogue moves towards the bedside table. There lies a surgical knife, perfect for cutting through skin. His hands shake as he positions it above his chest. He takes a deep, shaky breath, his fingers tightening around the handle. "It's going to be okay now," Rogue smiles through his tears. "I'm going to be with you now...Sting..." He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath.

His whole hand shaking, he slowly pushes the knife against his skin. The fabric of his shirt tears, then the tip pierces his skin. A droplet of red slides onto the knife blade, then slips to the floor. Rogue's eyes widen in fear at the sight of more blood. The knife falls from his hands, clattering to the floor.

Rogue sinks to his knees, shaking. "I...I can't..." he whispers. He sits there alone, as if in a trance, as the doctors return, cover up Sting's passive face, and wheel him from the room.

The last thing Rogue saw of him was a flicker of a rainbow.

* * *

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Light hits Rogue's eyes as he sits bolt upright in bed. Panting as sweat falls down his face, he surveys his surroundings. He's lying in a hospital bed, similar to the one Sting had been in... In fact, they were in the same room. His heart sinks. "No..." he whispers. "He...he's gone?" He touches his cheeks, his fingers slick with tears.

"Oi, Ryos, what's all the racket about?" a gruff voice asks.

Rogue looks up from his lap, shocked to see that there are two people sitting next to his bed. "G-Gajeel? Levy?"

"Hi," Levy smiles. "How are you feeling?"

Rogue ignores her question, instead frantically asking her, "Where's Sting?! Is he okay?" He grabs onto Levy's shoulders, his whole body shaking. "WHERE IS STING?" his voice cracks dangerously as he goes into hysterics. "STING?! STING! ANSWER ME PLEASE!"

"Calm down, kid," Gajeel interjects. "He's fine. They've patched him up pretty well. He might be a little banged up but-"

The rest of Gajeel's sentence vanishes as Rogue bursts into tears. It was just a dream. Relief washes over him, knowing that the person he cared so much about was alive _._ When he smiles, warmth spreads through the hearts of everyone present. Never before had they seen him smile so brightly.

 _'Did you hear that, shadow?'_ Rogue tells himself inwardly. _'Sting's okay. I'm not going to fall into your darkness as long as I've got the light. You might as well leave while you have the chance, because I don't plan on leaving his side anytime soon.'_

"Rogue-sama!" Yukino rushes over to Rogue's bedside, interrupting his thoughts. "You're awake! Are you feeling alright?"

"Fine, actually," Rogue replies, suddenly realizing that he's covered in bandages. "Just a headache..."

Yukino breathes a sigh of relief. "That's really good news. Sting-sama hasn't woken up yet..." She pulls a chair across the tile floor towards Rogue's bed, then sits in it. "He's going to be okay, but they said that his magic power will never be the same... You see, they had to remove the lacrima completely... He won't ever get to use Dragon Force again, and probably never be able to do Unison Raids either... They also said that he's going to have trouble with just being active in general. His shoulder is going to be sore for a long time, and he's going to have scars all over his stomach and chest..."

Rogue looks back down at his lap. Of course there was a drawback, otherwise it would've been too good to be true. But now that Rogue thinks about it, Sting is very lucky that a few scars and magic disability is the only thing he's going to have to worry about. It could've been so, so much worse.

"It's just very tragic," Yukino says sadly, "that you two barely got a week to be together before this happened... I wish things hadn't happened like this..."

"Me too, Yukino," Rogue replies softly. "Me too." He clutches the pure white bedsheets in his fist, gazing out towards the large window in front of him. The sky was fairly dark, but the edges were streaked with gold. The sun was rising.

"It's almost dawn," Yukino sighs. "To think that you've been here for three days already... We were just barely able to get to you two in time, you know. Thanks to Minerva we were able to locate the invisible guild hall... You'd passed out by then... We had to bring you two back..."

"How'd you know where we were?" Rogue whispers softly.

"We went and asked your client," Yukino replies gently. "He told us immediately that you went straight to Black Dawn. He also told us some useful information about tips to get there..."

"Did you save his granddaughter?" Rogue asks worriedly. He internally begs Yukino to say yes, not wanting to have failed yet another person.

"Leora-sama, you mean?" Yukino answers. "Yes. She's safe."

"Thank god," Rogue breathes, a small smile forming on his lips. "I didn't completely fail, then..."

"You didn't fail at all," Levy pipes up. "Don't think like that, Rogue. You did wonderful."

"Yeah, kid, taking out a powerful Dark Guild like that is no easy feat," Gajeel grunts.

Slow, silent tears fall down Rogue's cheeks. "Thank you, you guys..." His voice is almost too soft to hear. "I...I can't express how much that means to me..."

"Of course," Levy smiles gently. "After all, you are our friend."

Rogue buries his face in his hands and cries. "Friends..." he whispers. "It's such a wonderful feeling, to have friends... To know you've got someone to back you up whenever you need them to... For years I never understood friendship...but these past couple of months have been the perfect time to learn... And I thank you... I thank all of you...for everything..."

"No..." a weak voice whispers. "I...should be...thanking...you...Rogue..."

All heads turn to the side, eyes wide. Rogue gasps slightly, his hands falling to his lap. His eyes brim with tears once more as he lets a single word escape his lips.

"Sting...?"

* * *

 **WELP. THAT'S IT. LAST CHAPTER. ONLY THE EPILOGUE LEFT.**

 **Did you cry? XD I'm a messed up person and I'm legit wondering if I made you cry~ Please leave a review, I live for your guys' support. Honestly, your reviews/favorites/follows make my day~!**

* * *

 **~ForeverDreamer12, signing out~**


	8. Epilogue

**Well, shit. This chapter turned out way longer than expected X'D Normally epilogues are short... OH WELL.**

 **Little bit of suggestive stuff this chapter. It doesn't get super far. I'll mark it with ))) before and after so you know where you can come back in if it bothers you. It's still Teen rated, don't worry, nothing crazy. (And for those of you that want something crazy, I'm sorry, but nopeeee.)**

 **Oh, and if you haven't already, check out the extremely long Stingue oneshot on my profile! It's called** ** _The Most Beautiful Lie_** **and it's in desperate need of readers...**

 **Enjoy the epilogue! ^.^**

* * *

 **~Black Dawn~**

 **-Epilogue: 5 Months Later-**

* * *

Rogue sighs loudly, shoving the box onto the shelf. The stepladder shakes from underneath him, forcing him to attempt to regain his balance. From across the storage room, his boyfriend swears loudly and drops a box. "Fuuuuck," he hisses. For a moment there's silence, then he sighs, "Rogue...? Can you help, please?" Rogue steps down from the ladder, approaching Sting. He picks up the heavy box with both hands, then slides it onto the shelf. Sting breathes a sigh of relief, massaging his shoulder. "I think I pulled it again."

"You need to be more careful," Rogue scolds gently. "If you keep this up, you're going to end up in the hospital again."

Sting sighs sadly, looking down at his feet. "Yeah. I know." Rogue could see the pained expression in Sting's blue eyes as he shuffles towards another box, wincing as he picks it up. He moves his shoulder in a circle, cursing violently under his breath. Gently he sets the box down where it belongs, mumbling under his breath.

Rogue's heart aches painfully seeing his lover in this state. Even now, after all this time, their failures still had repercussions... No...not their failures... _Rogue's_ failures. Rogue didn't care how many times Sting tried to reassure him that it wasn't his fault, that it was Croya's or Black Dawn's or his shadow's, he would keep bringing the blame onto himself.

He comes up behind Sting, touching his normal shoulder gently. "Go home," he says softly. "I'll take care of this."

"It's not even 9 yet," Sting replies, sounding tired and annoyed.

"Sting." Rogue's voice is stern. "You can't keep overworking yourself. You may be our Guild Master, but that doesn't mean you have to do all the work, alright? Yukino and I will help you, as will anyone else in the guild."

"I'm not a child, Rogue!" Sting shouts suddenly, whirling around to face the Shadow Dragon. "And neither am I broken! I'm very much alive, and I can take care of myself!"

Rogue slowly shakes his head, tears pooling his eyes. "I never said you were broken," he whispers, his lip trembling. "All I said is that I don't want you back in the hospital again... I...I don't want to lose you..."

Sting's expression softens. "Oh, Rogue, babe..." He gently cups Rogue's face in his hands, looking into his ruby red eyes. "I'm sorry." He places his forehead against Rogue's, watching the tears slide down the Shadow Dragon's cheeks. "I shouldn't be so harsh with you... Sometimes...sometimes I forget I'm not the only one in pain, ya know?"

Rogue sniffs, nodding slightly. "Technically," Sting continues softly. "It's not your problem at all...but I love you, and you love me, and that means we share our feelings, whether they're good or bad... We go through everything, together, right?"

Rogue nods again, the tears only sliding faster down his face. "Y-Yeah," he croaks.

They close the distance between their lips, kissing each other slowly and passionately. Sting's hands move from Rogue's face to his shoulders, then down his arms to his hands. Slowly he wraps his arms around Rogue's waist, pulling him closer. Rogue hums against Sting's lips, wrapping his own arms around Sting's neck.

It was moments like these where they could just forget about all the pain that has transpired and just melt into each other. Their breathing became one as their bodies moved together in perfect harmony. They break apart, Sting's breathing a little heavy and Rogue's cheeks still lined with tears.

Together they make their way out of the storage room. A sigh escapes Sting's lips for the umpteenth time that evening as he pushes the storage room door open with his normal arm. The pressure is removed from his aching limbs as Rogue holds the door for him. Shaking his arm out, Sting smiles gratefully at his lover as they move towards the main room of the Guild Hall.

The room was surprisingly full considering the time of day, filled with members who had returned from long jobs and wishes simply for some leisure time with their fellow guildmates. The noise of conversation washes over Sting like the tide against the sand. It was much brighter in here as well, so bright that it hurt Sting's eyes.

Feeling dizzy, he takes another step forward. Without warning he staggers and collapses to the floor. His heart pounds faster and faster, his breath catching in his throat. Shouts of shock and fear explode in his ears, his own name being repeated over and over.

Sting feels a pair of warm, strong arms wrap around him, lifting his head, shoulders, and chest from the hard floor. Everything is hazy, a whirl of color in front of his eyes. Sting lets his eyes fall shut, the pain shooting through his chest too great.

Fear floods through Rogue's blood as he cradles Sting's twitching body in his arms. Another panic attack. The doctors said he shouldn't have any more after the first month of being released, but this is month four and his condition is still severe.

Rogue ignores the exclamations of his guildmates, instead focusing on the convulsing man in his arms. Rogue's fingers fumble around in Sting's jacket pocket, finding the silver tube with a small lacrima Sting used when his breathing failed.

Sting's chest rises once more in an almost violent manger, then falls drastically. When it does not move again, Rogue's desperation shoots through the roof.

"Sting!" he cries loudly, his red eyes wide. "Say something! Or just breathe! Oh god, just breathe! Please, just one breath-!" His eyes blur with tears, which he angrily blinks away. He glances at the silver contraption in his palm. It wasn't going to be strong enough. Without even looking at who he was handing it to, he shoves the tube into Rufus' hands. The Memory Mage starts, but clutches the metal piece tightly, as it if were a rare treasure.

Rogue tilts Sting's head back with his now free hand, opening his windpipe. Slowly he presses his mouth to Sting's, breathing slowly into his lungs. Rogue hoped that both the fresh air and the touch of his lips would bring Sting back to reality, because Rogue couldn't bear to lose him now. Although this had happened countless times before, the constant fear still remains in Rogue' chest. One mistake...and Sting would be gone...forever.

Trying to stay calm, Rogue pulls away and gently rests his forehead against Sting's. Sting's entire body suddenly shudders violently. A loud, painful gasp of air escapes his throat, his chest quickly rising and falling. Behind Rogue, the onlookers sigh in relief. Sting's eyes snap open, startling blue meeting deep red. His breathing comes out in short, painful bursts, each gasp less controlled than the one before it.

Fearful that Sting was going to hyperventilate, Rogue snatches the silver tube from Rufus' hand. He activates the small blue lacrima, then gently places the end to Sting's lips. Sting takes three slow, careful breaths, finally relaxing himself. Rogue pulls the tube away, keep the metal device enclosed in his fist. "Are you okay now?"

Sting nods weakly, taking another deep breath. "Y-Yeah," he gasps. "I'm alright now." He sits up slowly, being careful to not harm himself further. He grasps onto Rogue's cape with one fist, clasping the black fabric between his shaky fingers. "C-Can we go home now?"

Rogue smiles slightly, helping Sting to his feet. "Yes..." he replies softly. "I'll take you home."

Trying to keep up his duties as Guild Master, Sting manages out, "There's some b-boxes left in the-" He breathes in deeply and shakily. "-s-storage room...M-Minerva...Rufus...d-do you..."

Minerva speaks just as Sting takes another breath, "We'll take of it. Get out of here before you kill yourself."

Rogue chuckles slightly, hiding his hatred of those two final words as he wraps his left arm around Sting's shoulders. "C'mon, you idiot," he chides lovingly. "Let's get your stubborn ass home."

"Mmm...okay," Sting mumbles, leaning on Rogue for support. Together they exit the Guild Hall, leaving their loyal friends to continue the work Sting was too weary to finish.

* * *

Rogue holds the door to their house open for his partner, then closes it shut behind them. He slides off his boots and cape with ease, then moves to help Sting with his own boots. Bending down at the angle required hurt both his shoulder and chest, and Rogue is not going to make Sting go through any more agony than necessary.

"Thanks."

"Of course." Rogue moves towards the kitchen, adding over his shoulder, "I'll get you some water." Sting slowly follows Rogue to the kitchen, ignoring the pain in his stomach and chest. "Oh!" Rogue exclaims. Sting stands in the doorway of the kitchen, staring at Rogue's back. Rogue turns around, a baking dish of uncut brownies in his left hand and a knife in his right. "I almost forgot, Yukino made some brownies for us."

The White Dragon nods a little too quickly. "C-Cool," he stammers, a small line of sweat sliding down the side of his face. Rogue follows Sting's gaze, and instantly he understands. His blue eyes were fixed on the shining knife on Rogue's hand, his lip trembling in fear.

Rogue's expression softens. Very slowly he takes a step back from Sting, setting both the knife and the dish down. He carefully cuts two extra-large brownies out of the dish, sets them on plates, then disposes the knife into the sink. He makes sure to do every single step with stepping anywhere closer to Sting, not wanting to make his lover's fear even worse.

This was another problem that they'd had to get used to: Sting's new fear of knives. Sometimes it was other blades as well, like letter openers or scissors, in which case Rogue simply did what needed to be done, and then put the frightening object out of Sting's line of sight. Rogue knew that the torture Sting had endured had left lasting scars, some physical, some completely invisible. And this was one of them.

Rogue puts the rest of the brownies into the fridge, then joins Sting in eating theirs with only their hands. There was almost something comforting about not using plates or even napkins, just holding the treat in your bare hands and savoring every little bite. The silence between them isn't awkward or even nerve-wracking; they could communicate simply through their eyes.

Rogue breaks the silence once his brownie is completely gone. "Oh, sorry...I forgot your water."

Sting makes a humming sound in the back of his throat. He speaks with his mouth extremely full, and yet Rogue is able to decipher that Sting would prefer a glass of milk. Rogue retrieves the wanted drink and gently kisses Sting as he passes the glass to him. "Here you go." Rogue wipes away the brownie crumbs from around Sting's lips in a caring, loving manner.

"I can't thank you enough," Sting tells his lover once the milk has been fully drained. "Seriously...I can't even imagine how big of a pain the ass I am now..."

Rogue shakes his head. "No." He rests his forehead against Sting's, closing his eyes. "You're not a pain. I don't mind it at all..." Opening his eyes again, Rogue adds softly, "I love you, Sting...and if it means I have to take care of you to keep you with me...I will gladly do it... I'll do anything for you... I promise. And this time...I'm not gonna break it."

Neither one of them was sure who executed the action, but two seconds later they were kissing each other full force. The glass in Sting's hand starts to slip from his fingers. Rogue takes it from him before it shatters to the floor, breaking the kiss for a brief moment to set the cup on the counter. He is instantly pulled away by the back of his shirt, Sting's fingers yanking on the gray fabric. He whirls Rogue around to face him, then sneaks his tongue into the Shadow Dragon's mouth.

Rogue is unable to stop the moan that escapes his already-tender lips, the sound sending vibrations through Sting's tongue back into his mouth. Sting's breathing is labored, and Rogue feels a shot of guilt in his stomach. They shouldn't be doing this, not with Sting's condition.

 **)))** Sure, they'd smashed right through the doctors' rules on quite a few occasions, their desires getting the better of them, but each time had left Sting on breathing heavily at the ceiling for over a half hour, trying to calm his racing heart. They'd done everything they could to try to minimize the pain, but each time was just as agonizing as the first. And yet, every single time, Sting had seen it through to the end.

That was were Rogue's doubts were stemming from, right here and now. The second Rogue's tongue responded to Sting's, it would be as if they'd become contracted to each other. Rogue didn't want to Sting to go through any more pain today, especially since Sting was in one of his moods. Once Rogue responded...Sting wouldn't want to stop.

Sting's movements only became more and more forceful, his hand undoing Rogue's ponytail. His tongue sinks deeper behind Rogue's teeth as he intertwines his fingers in Rogue's hair. Rogue can tell that Sting was desperate for a response by the way his kisses only got more and more passionate and how his body pressed against Rogue's.

Tears of regret already in Rogue's eyes, he kisses back, his own temptations too overwhelming. Within mere moments the two of them are gasping for air: Rogue out of pleasure and Sting out of exhaustion. The tears vanish from Rogue's eyes as quickly as they arrived, the Shadow Dragon moving his hips in sync with Sting's. Feeling overwhelmed, Sting tugs on Rogue's shirt, silently communicating to him the need to move. Rogue's guilt returns as he helps Sting back to their bedroom, biting down on his own lip to hold back any tears that may come.

They were on their knees in front of each other, sitting so close that they were practically breathing into the other. All it took was a few seconds before that thought became a reality, their lips connecting for what felt like the hundredth time that evening. Sting's hands move to Rogue's waist, clutching his hips so tightly it was almost painful. Sting's entire body was shaking, but whether it was from anticipation or agony Rogue could not tell.

Block it out block it out block it out... Rogue repeats those three words inside his head, a silent mantra as Sting's fingers tighten around Rogue's belt at his waist. Rogue groans, kissing Sting as hard as he possibly could, sliding his tongue deeper into his partner's mouth. Sting is gasping so much he could hardly kiss back, his mouth wide open. His face is slick with sweat, his eyes squeezed slightly shut.

Rogue breaks the kiss, panting as he manages out, "S-Sting...? Are you..." He shudders slightly as Sting's cold hands move up to remove his shirt. "...okay...?" he finishes at last, shivering again as his shirt is completely removed.

"Sh-Shut up," Sting gasps, obviously in pain. "K-Kiss me again...I'll be..." He's trembling like crazy now, his eyes opening ever-so-slightly. "...I'll be fine..."

"Are you..." Rogue hisses as Sting's lips brush against his neck. "...s-sure about th-that...? I don't want to...ahh...hurt you..." Sting doesn't answer, instead sinking his teeth into the spot he chose on Rogue's neck. Rogue cries out, his whole body flooded with heat. "Ahhhh...A-Answer me...!"

Once again, Sting says nothing. He slowly pulls his shirt off, tossing it to the side. He leans back towards Rogue, the moonlight reflecting off his earring. Rogue swallows, his heart heavy as he gazes at Sting's bare chest.

The scars that he now wore real shirts to cover up were illuminated by the small amount of light streaming through the window. Rogue traces the curved scar near where Sting's lacrima used to be, finding the spot Croya had cut him. His finger makes its way down to where the doctors extracted the broken pieces of the lacrima, then travels to the stitches in his stomach.

"I'm sorry..." he whispers, choking slightly.

"Don't...apologize..." Sting wheezes, his hands moving back to Rogue's hips. "It's...not...your...fault..."

Tears prick the corners of Rogue's eyes as they kiss again, their bodies moving even closer to each other. Their knees were touching and their hips were aligned in such a way that if either of them moved, the other would feel it. Rogue tries to distract Sting from his tears, moving his hands into Sting's hair, curling his fingers around the blond spikes.

Sting groans into Rogue's mouth, his hands sliding up Rogue's bare sides. His heart is racing way too fast, his breathing is short and labored, and his shoulder is throbbing, but he ignores it all, melting into Rogue's body instead. He had to keep going. Giving up now would make Sting feel worthless and broken, like an old rag doll tossed into the trash. But _hell_ , did it hurt.

Sting decides to speed up the process, hoping that by doing so his pain would take the backseat. His trembling fingers finally remove Rogue's belt, casting it onto the floor with a clattering sound as the metal buckle hits the wood. The sound makes Sting wince uncomfortably, but he ignores it and instead slowly starts to unzip Rogue's pants. Rogue, who had only moments ago fallen completely into his own desires, moans and pulls Sting closer to him.

 **)))** Pain shoots through Sting's entire body. Unable to stop himself, he screams loudly, causing Rogue to flinch and let go of Sting's hair. Sting's head falls backwards, hitting the headboard. His head spins dangerously, and he finds himself once again gasping for air.

"Sting?" Rogue's tone is urgent and worried. "Sting?!"

"H-Help," Sting gasps, unable to form a full sentence. Before he knew what was happening, the small silver tube was pressed to his lips again. He sucks in as much air as possible, trembling as tears slide down his face. His eyes open again, his vision still blurry as he studies Rogue's face.

Tears are covering Rogue's cheeks as he chokes out, "I told you it was a bad idea, I told you we should stop, I told you that you weren't going to be okay, I told you-! I...told you..." He bursts into a fresh wave of tears, burying his face into his hands and sobbing uncontrollably. Sting can only sit and watch, all words lost in his throat. "I said..." Rogue sobs. "I warned you...I didn't want to hurt you... I...I should've just stopped you..."

Finally finding his voice, Sting gasps out, "R-Rogue...p-please don't cry...it's not your fault...I t-told you to keep going..." Shivering violently from pain, he reaches towards Rogue's zipper again. "W-We can continue, I'll be-"

"No," Rogue chokes, his voice firm. He slaps Sting's hand away, his fiery eyes still filled to the brim with tears. "Absolutely not."

Sting breaks down right then and there. "I'm sorry!" he cries, collapsing forward into Rogue's shoulder. "Fucking hell, I'm so sorry, I can't even do anything anymore... I c-can't go on jobs with you, I can't take long w-walks with you, I can't s-swim with you, and I can't even m-make love to you... I'm just w-worthless! I'm so, so sorry!"

Rogue slowly wraps his arms around Sting, not speaking until he finds the right words. "Sting..." he whispers, "please look at me..." Sting slowly lifts his head from Rogue's shoulder, looking down at his lap. Rogue moves his hands to cup Sting's cheeks. "Look me in the eyes."

Hesitantly Sting's gaze lifts upwards. He starts at the sight of Rogue's red eyes staring straight at him, deadly serious. "You are _not_ worthless," he says, his lip trembling. "I don't care about that kind of stuff as long as you're safe and healthy... That's all that matters to me..."

Not listening, Sting breathes in deeply and whispers, "Maybe I should've just died..."

Rogue's reaction is catastrophic. His voice raises an octave, screaming out, "NO!" Sting flinches away from Rogue's voice, frightened. "DON'T YOU EVER SAY THAT AGAIN. DON'T YOU **FUCKING DARE** EVER SAY THAT AGAIN, STING EUCLIFFE!"

Sting is sobbing again, Rogue's screaming terrifying him. Noticing this, Rogue freezes up. Instantly he's speaking again, stumbling over his own words, "Fuck, Sting, I completely forgot that you were...shit I'm so sorry..." He starts shaking as well, fresh tears pouring down his cheeks. "Y-You just...I can't..." He breaks down into a loud sob, unable to form words anymore.

"I get it..." Sting's voice is unsteady. "Y-You don't want to l-lose me...b-but maybe..."

"Don't finish that sentence," Rogue gasps out, gently pressing his forehead against Sting's. "Do you think I don't know how it feels to want to d-die? Because I **do**. I know _exactly_ how you feel. Y-You feel like you're not worthy enough to be in this world...y-you feel like that you're just a burden on others...y-you feel like you're just a m-mistake..."

He closes his eyes, a single tear leaking from the corner of his left eye. "Do you know what made me stop thinking like that?" he whispers. "It was you. I fell in love with you. At first, my love for you only made it worse... I kept telling myself that I didn't deserve s-someone like you...b-but when you k-kissed me and told me you l-loved me j-just as much as I loved you... I had a p-purpose...a reason to st-stay... You b-brought me to life, Sting..."

His ruby red eyes snap open, his hands tightening slightly around Sting's face. "P-Please...think of all the people that l-love you..."

"I..." Sting's at a loss for words. Moved beyond belief by Rogue's speech, he whispers, "Y-You were suicidal?"

Rogue nods slowly, shaking like crazy. "Y-Yeah...for q-quite some time..."

"C-C'mere..." Sting hiccups, pulling Rogue into his arms. "I'm so sorry, Ryos..." he whispers. Rogue starts at the use of his other name, but says nothing. "I seriously can't apologize enough..." Sting whispers. "B-But I suppose...I kinda don't have to anymore, d-do I? You r-really do understand..."

"Of course I do," Rogue mumbles into Sting's chest. "I always have..."

"I love you," Sting says softly, his voice filled with sincerity.

"I love you too." Rogue's voice is barely audible, but the way he speaks brings each word strength.

"And I'm not gonna leave you," Sting whispers, running his fingers through Rogue's hair soothingly. "I p-promise..."

"D-Don't make promises you c-can't keep," Rogue replies, his voice weak.

Sting kisses the top of Rogue's head. "I **_can_** keep it, and I **_will_**." His voice is surprisingly steady.

Rogue, seemingly comforted, buries his face even deeper into Sting's chest, snuggling up against him. Slowly and painfully Sting lies down, bringing Rogue with him. He sighs, realizing that they're both still in their pants they wear to the guild. Deciding that he didn't care enough to change, Sting curls into Rogue and drifts off to sleep.

* * *

The next few months didn't get much better for the two of them. Almost every single night they cried in each other's arms, brought down by the weight of their past mistakes. The two of them constantly woke up in the middle of the night screaming from nightmares and covered in sweat. Sting always tended to ramble hysterically afterwards until Rogue managed to quiet him down. Rogue, on the other hand, tended to sob silently and not say a word. Sting would simply reassure him that he was safe, and that his shadow wasn't anywhere near taking over him.

Their Exceeds took some of the burden as well. The two of them were constantly staying at Yukino's house, unable to sleep from the screaming of their Dragon Slayer teammates. When they were home, they climbed in bed with them, trying to keep the two men sane.

That task was becoming harder and harder. Each day the two of them felt like they were slipping further and further into insanity, their minds so overwhelmed with pain that nothing could compare.

But now, about a year after the incident, things were finally starting to look up.

Rogue lifts his head from the pillow, yawning sleepily. Golden sunlight streams in through the window, casting light on Sting's face. A small smile stretches across the White Dragon's lips, sleeping peacefully. Rogue blinks. Had either of them had a nightmare that night?

"Sting?" he whispers, gently nudging his sleeping partner. When he doesn't respond, Rogue smiles softly and decides not to wake him.

It was true. There were no tear-stains on the pillows, neither were the bedsheets tangled up from either of them thrashing in their sleep. It had been a nightmare-free night.

"I...I can't believe it," Rogue whispers. "Ever since I found out about my shadow I'd been having nightmares...and ever since the incident Sting had been having his own...and now...neither of us had one?" A single tear of relief slides down his cheek. "Finally," he grins. "Finally, we had peace..."

Beside him, Sting stirs in bed. He opens one shining blue eye to look at Rogue. "Oi," he says weakly. "Crying first thing in the morning? What's that all about?"

"Did you have any nightmares last night?" Rogue's wobbly grin does not leave his face, watching as Sting's expression shifts.

"Uhh...no...?" Sting pauses. "Wait a minute... Did you?" Rogue shakes his head, laughing slightly. "Holy shit," Sting whispers, sitting up straight in bed. "Holy fucking shit. None. No nightmares at all... And neither of us woke up for other reasons in the middle of the night either... We actually got a full 10 hours of sleep..." Sting sniffs slightly. "I...I might cry."

"Go ahead," Rogue laughs. "I already am."

And then they're embracing each other, laughing and crying of joy.

When Yukino arrives about a half hour later to drop off the Exceeds, she finds the two of them dancing around the living room shirtless with extreme bedhead, laughing and crying uncontrollably.

"What the-?" Lector frowns.

"Fro wants to dance too!" Frosch says happily.

"Sting-sama, Rogue-sama, what happened?" Yukino asks, surprised at her friends' joyful expressions.

Sting rushes up to her excitedly, a look of child-like innocence on his face. "Yukino!" he shouts. "The nightmares! The nightmares are gone!"

Yukino's eyes widen as a smile spreads across her face. "Really?!" she exclaims.

"Yes!" Sting cheers. "Really!"

Rogue moves over to them, beaming from ear to ear. "I know it seems childish to be this excited," he says to Yukino as another tear makes its way down his cheek, "but we haven't gotten an undisturbed night of sleep since the end of the Eclipse gate phenomenon. And I'm not talking about the spirits. I'm talking about since it was destroyed."

Yukino gasps. "It's been that long?"

"Even when we first got together, I still woke up in the middle of the night," Rogue sighs. "It was a silent nightmare, but it still happened..."

"But even one night...it brings us hope!" Sting laughs. "Imagine if they went away for good!"

"I doubt they'll ever disappear," Rogue sighs. "But even getting one good night of sleep per week would do wonders..."

Sting suddenly pulls everyone nearby into a group hug. "Hey," he grins. "I love you guys, you know that? You're the greatest...my little family, takin' care of my sorry ass..."

Rogue snorts, pulling away and smacking Sting's shoulder. "That was really sweet for a moment, and then you ruined it."

"Oh, shut up," Sting teases. "You're no better. Remember what you said after we first had se-"

"I'm just really glad that things are looking up," Rogue says quickly, his cheeks pink. He shoots his partner a look, mouthing 'The Exceeds, Sting!'.

Yukino giggles, noticing the exchange. "You two are adorable," she laughs.

"Fro thinks so too sama!" Frosch chimes in.

Unable to help himself, Sting starts to laugh. Within mere seconds everyone is laughing with him, doubling over and clutching their sides. Sting coughs violently, his chest hurting but only slightly. It didn't matter right now.

"Hey, guess what, world!" Sting exclaims loudly. "I'm not goin' anywhere, you hear me?! Throw everything you've got at me, and I'm still gonna make it! I've got a guild to run, friends to keep, and a hella amazing man to marry!" (Beside him, Rogue chokes.)

"So if you think you can beat me, you're wrong! Because I've got everything I need right here!" Sting thumps his hand over his heart, beaming. "I'm gonna keep living, for Sabertooth, my family!"

Everyone else speaks at once.

"That's the spirit, Sting-sama!"

"Wait, did you say **_marry_**?!"

"Sting-kun's the best!"

"Fro thinks so too sama!"

Laughing, Sting pulls them all into a hug again, ignoring their comments and squishing them into his chest. The world seems a thousand times brighter as the sunlight shines into the living room of the Twin Dragons, illuminating their broken souls.

 _In that moment, their hearts could finally fly._

* * *

 **My dear Stingue lovers,**

 **Thank you so, so much for reading this story. It's been quite the feels endurance run for everyone X'D Thank you for all of your follows/favorites and your lovely reviews. Every time I got one it brightened my day. You guys are the greatest.**

 **If you enjoyed, it wouldn't hurt to leave one final review ^.^ I want to know what you thought of the ending~**

 **Yes, I know, it's kinda bittersweet XD But hey, I** ** _was_** **going to kill him originally. Then I decided not to. No clue why! Maybe I'm going soft.**

 **Thank you again for everything~! I'm going to hopefully be posting another Stingue story soon! This one's a College AU, and it's much fluffier...although knowing me, there will be angst as well! And you can definitely expect more oneshots. Tonnnns of oneshots X'D**

* * *

 **Love,**

 **~ForeverDreamer12~**


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